Ron Stoppable  A forward to Kim Possible
by BahamutWing
Summary: A coming of age tale focusing on Ron Stoppable as he transcends from side kick to hero. Taking place after the end of the Kim Possible series.
1. Part I  The Departure

Chapter One: Departure

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><p><em><strong>Ronald Stoppable stepped out of his home for the last eighteen years for the last time. Or at least leaving it as his home. Well it would always be 'his' home, like a haven or whatever but it was the last time that he would leave here as a resident...for some time... Oddly enough it was like leaving Bueno Nacho without getting any food. Empty and terrifying. Was that tree over their as scary looking yesterday? A car slowly drove by and Ron could think of nothing other than how fast he was going. <strong>_

_**'Calm down Ron, you're just scared. You are taking a big step here.' he thought. 'Just do what you always do when you are nervous and narrate what you're doing'**_

_**With that Ron got into his old beaten up truck and took off. **_

_**The drive through the familiar roads and alley ways of his former home draped over him a sense of nostalgia. Ron liked that word. He figured that everyone had a couple words in their vocabulary with the extra consanant or two and what better word to capture his 'Ronness'? It was not an intimidating word nor exotic. It was familiar and something everyone had experienced, a level that normally isn't too deep but deep enough to leave an impact. You can argue about the intensity of love or hate or fear, but nostalgia? That was the embodiement of Ron; familiar and agreeable. Welcome as often as it isn't. **_'Well that just sounds confusing.'

Ron erased the last line and threw the book aside. The book was soon accompanied by a thesauraus and a dictionary. After clearing his plate or rather his dashboard Ron started up his truck and drove out of the Smarty Mart parking lot.

"And there goes Middleton." Ron wasn't sure if that was more directed towards his naked mole rat or himself. All things considered Rufus was asleep and Ron often narrated to himself when he was nervous. Eventually his home was far behind him and the young man with his old truck and his best friend struck out into the 'real world' for the first time.

As the mile markers swept by and the front end of the truck continued to eat away the road Ron reflected on all that he had done. In his short life he had accomplished quite a lot, mostly thanks to his dear friend and love Kim Possible. It wasn't always easy, but it had all been worth it. The enormity of the pressure that highschool, saving the world, and his dearest of frienships had all but vanished, leaving nothing but weightless freedom and endless possibilities before him. So it was after having a conversation with his dad about what 'normal' teenagers did at this stage in their lives, Ron decided to follow in his father's footsteps and take a road trip. Of course Ron had first taken a trip to see Sensei after his mystic abilities came to surface. An annoyed sigh blew out his lips when he reflected on that visit. He preffered not to think about it. And so here it was, his journey that he took alone. This was the time that Ron would take all of the experience and knowledge that was crammed into his head out into the world. The purpose was to get things balanced and figured out. Ron knew there was a lot that was above his grasp, he knew he was niave and he also knew that he was really just starting to come into his own as a hero and a man.

There comes a point on a long road trip when the sounds of travel become common and their absence becomes instantly noticable. And that is why when Ron decided to stop for a stretch a little after noon it felt so eerily quiet.

' Kinda dead around here' Ron thought.

" Kinda dead around here." Ron narrated to himself nervously. Rufus peeked up out of the window to look at their surroundings. They had pulled over at a rest stop on the side of the free way and like most rest stops they were sparsley crowded. This one in particular had a dead feeling about it. To make matters worse, the clouds had rolled in and were blocking out the sun. Besides the occassional vehicle zooming by all was quiet. Still.

"Well little buddy I'm stretched, lets get out of here." In response to Ron saying this Rufus ,the little nudist, nodded fiercely in agreement. Without trying to look too eager, Ron shuffled over to his truck but was soon taken in by the overwhelming urgency to shut the door and press the lock button. As soon as Ron got settled in the truck however, a wave of embarrassment swept over him.

" What am I doing Rufus? I shouldn't be terrified of the outside world the outside world should be terrified of me!" Again Rufus shook his head in agreement. The truth of the matter was Ron was more than equipped to handle any *BANG* " AW FUCK!" THESUDDEN KnOCkINg of A PaTRol Officer starTled the OccUpants of the Truck. Taking more effort than it should have Ron rolled down his window.

" Hey! Yo.. th..surprised. Hey!" It made much more sense in Ron's head than when it came out of his mouth. A goofy grin split across his face, he was often recognized but only when he was wearing that grin, or was with Kp of course.

"Sir ..." The officer paused while looking hard at Ron's face. " Hey I know you! You're Ron Stoppable! I watched you on T.V. and let me tell you it was something else!" The prior strict demeanor of the lawman had taken a one hundreded and eighty degree turn. And as he rambled on Ron couldn't help but reflect on all the previous times the similiar situation happened. Saving the world and getting caught on camera had its benefits. Ron snapped back to notice that he was expected to give the ol John Hancock. After another thirty minutes of the usual compliments and the usual questions the cop was interupted by his radio.

"Excuse me Mr. Stoppable, it was a pleasure meeting you. " Ron nodded and rolled his window up eager to hit the road.

"It can't be helped Rufus, the reputation of the RonMan preceeds him." . Ron put the truck in drive and *BANG* "AW FUCK!"AgAin It wAs the Cop. Wide Eyed Ron looked at the officer who had a panic stricken look on his face. With his prior shock all but forgotten Ron rolled down his window.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Shego! Please!My family and I live there." Ron heard this but just stared at the officer, it took a second before it sunk in.

"Whoa whoa, Uh Shego went good? And what do you mean you live...where?" Ron tried to ask.

"Please Mr. Stoppable I'll escort you!"

It was twenty minutes later and thirty miles off course when Ron and his 'escort' drove into town in their own respective vehicles.

"So you have no clue what's going on?" Ron asked the small screen. Shaking his head Wade ,the teen genuis, replied " Drakken is at a U.N. Conference, I don't know why Shego would be anywhere around there. Let alone neither of them have any warrants since their amnesty. "

" Thanks Wade, I don't have time but let Kim know I'm possibly involving myself in a dangerous situation I guess? I don't know , just , well you know where I am, so if I dissapear you know, well the cops know. I gotta go." With an exasperated sigh and a chuckle from Wade the screen went black. ' You know that's why you have to keep up in the journal. An expanded vocabulary wouldn't hurt.' Those were actually Kim Possible's words, but Ron understood the wisdom behind them. Which is why he went along instead of complaining when she gave him the journal a little while after graduation. A familiar tugging pulled Ron out of his day dreaming, Rufus was pointing at the Highway Patrol vehicle which had indeed pulled over.

Looking around cautiously Ron slammed his squeeky truck door. The officer didn't seem in as much a fright as he approached this time.

"Well it seems she was last seen in that grocery store over there." The officer pointed at a building that in Ron's opinion was too small to be a grocery store. The entire area looked like a ghost town. He looked over and noticed an old beaten up truck like his with the exception of the large sticker on the side that read 'sherriff'. Inside the vehicle the driver was holding a gun trained at the doors of the grocery store. Next to that truck was a red car with a nasty looking hole in the door, still smoking. ' Well so much for the normal life.' Ron thought as he took his shirt off and after some digging around put his thin plated armored shirt on. He put his normal shirt on over that, told Rufus to stay put, and started for the market. Like the rest stop it was eerily quiet. The sound of his own feet making contact with the worn down graveled lot invaded his ears adding to his anxiety. ' Settle down monkey master, settle down.' It seemed to take forever but arriving at the doors happened all too soon. With a steady grip and a firm shove Ron opened the door and entered the grocery store.

Had it not been so quiet the inside of the store would have been comical. The check out stands were tables with thin pieces of wood tacked on the front, the registers looking like something out of the eighties. The floors were in serious disrepair, little tears all throughout the linoleum with the occasional twelve by twelve inch tile patch. The lighting was unusually dim, you could still see clearly but it really was the final piece to turn this into the world's most depressing place. A sound roused Ron out of his thoughts and he turned his attentions to the animal care aisle. ' Settle down Ron, Shego probably isn't even here and she doesn't want to kill you anyway, right?' Slowly, steadily, quietly, he rounded the corner and peered into the aisle.

There she was. Adorned in a dark green shirt and short denim shorts. Her hair hid most of her face but from what Ron could make out she wasn't paying him any attention. Something deep down prevented Ron from saying anything, instead he just watched. Watched her body language, as she browsed the shelf. 'Oh my god she's just shopping.' As fun as it was to spy on her Ron decided to get a grasp of the situation, but as he started walking forward her voice interupted him.

"Somebody has always got to be the hero." Her voice breaking the still brought a minuet wave of uncertainty on Ron; he doubled back and retorted. " Shego what are you doing to these people? Why are you doing this?" Shego jolted up with a surprise look on her face. She glared at Ron but quickly turned the gaze into scanning the store. After a minute of looking around she settled back down and focused on Ron.

"So what's the deal? Where's Kimmie and why are you here?" The look on her face was as half as saracastic as it usually was in Ron's opinion. But he didn't say anything right away, he was still trying to grasp the oddity that was this situation. "What's wrong monkey boy? You gonna stop big bad Shego?" A mocking smile spread across her lips.

"The RonMan is gonna take you down!" And with that Ron took up a defensive stance. Ron admitted it was an unusual feeling. Rushing into battle, instead of bumbling around it. But since his true potential had surfaced he had taken on another role. Oddly it was more about reserving himself than anything else. In a way his abilities were limitless. But his physical body was not. Not only could he destroy the ones he loved, he could very easily destroy himself. It was after this revelation and some guidance from Sensei that Ron decided to tone it down quite a bit.

This is what she needed. In fact Shego was a firm believer that a good fight could be better than sex. Not to mention the thrill of having an opponent who could scare her. Of course she had no delusions that Ron would seriously hurt her, but she had witnessed his awakening so to speak, and knew what he was capable of. Her instincts told her to run away. She ran at Ron, igniting her fists as she did so. Ron's stance held firm as his attacker charged.

As Shego charged she dragged her hand along the shelf exploding cans of dog food and bags of kitty litter leaving a mess in her wake. However about ten feet away instead of exploding a can she grabbed it and whipped it at Ron with incredible speed. He kicked it away but stayed on one leg, his foot still in the air caught Shego's chest as she charged into it. A look of shock spread across her face as her legs continued forward while her upper torse stopped short at Stoppable's foot. A second kick turned her into a tumbled mess, trying to recover but to no avail, slipping and flipping into the shelves at the end of the aisle. Crashing into them and being buried by various loaves of bread.

With a smug smile Ron slowly walked towards the pile of bread. " Dare I say a- Boo- let it arrive-yah." However his celebration was short lived as an explosion of bread and what appeared to be toast reigned out and upon the store. Shego jumped out and over landing into the aisle next to Ron. Shego took two steps and with a husky grunt chest kicked the shelf. Immediatly the aisle Ron was in collapsed around him. A small wave of panic came over him at the thought of being buried. Shaking it off he focused his energy in his hands and dove through the shelves, piercing them as he did so. After about twenty feet of air Ron landed on top of a shelf and steadied himself. 'This is way too messy. I should have wrapped this up with much less damage.' As he thought this he pushed outwards for Shego's presence. The latest lesson had been awareness, feeling out for someone was only limited by the users range. Unfortunately, he couldn't 'feel' the cash register until it was imbeded into the back of his skull. Ron flipped forward and downward from the top of the shelf. Dazed and confused he plummeted face first into the ground. Darkness ensued.

From outside the lawmen could hear crashing and the sounds of various objects breaking. It didn't take too long for the noise to settle down.

"You think he got " The sherrif was interupted by a concussion wave that emanated from the store, blowing the lawmen and their vehicles back . The windows of course had all blown out but with them came a green skinned lady in short shorts. As she made impact she let out a rough moan and bounced off the ground, skidding another six feet. After the back pain subsided a bit she felt the ground with her hands all too happy to be on it. After the blast or whatever it was Shego had flown into a shelf, through a canned food display, through a window and it's glass shards, and another forty feet of air. Doing a quick mental evaluation Shego was confident that nothing was broken but also that there wasn't an inch of her body that wouldn't be sore. If not already was. Reflexively she put her hand to her face and felt blood coming out of her nose and her lip. 'No broken nose, please no broken nose.' A small wave of relief came over her when her nose passed the test. "Well I guess I got what I wanted. Where is the sidekick?"

Ron woke in a standing position with the familiar feeling of just being used as a conduit to channel his mystic power. Taking a slow inventory of the store the first thing he noticed was that he was ground zero. Everything in the store was bowing away from him even the walls themselves.

"This is not what I wanted to happen." ' Wait, where's Shego?' Panic took over as he frantically looked around. 'Don't be dumb, feel for her!' It took a little time before he could settle down and feel for her. It wasn't good.

"Fuck! She's gone! I Can't I...I can't.." Ron's head started spinning. He ran out of the wrecked store, opening the front door which fell off it's hinges as he did so. 'I killed her!'

"That was a bit much but thank you Mr. Stoppable, on beha.." Again the sherrif was interupted, this time by Ron falling to his knees and projectile vomiting. When he looked up both officers looked a little uncomfortable. As if they weren't supposed to be witness to this vulnerable moment. After all heroes don't lose it. And yet here Ron was, sobbing and puking. Trembling violently as he kept shaking his head. After a minute or two the highway patrol men approached him. " Mr. St st stoppable? Can I get you something? Perhaps a glass of water?" He said glass of water slowly as if Ron didn't know english. The reply he got was more unbridaled teenage angst. The sherrif came over, an upset expression across his face. " Jesus Al you just had to drag Ron Stoppable here! Now everyone will know Bumble Springs as the town that drove Stoppable insane! Christ! Call an EMT for the lady and let them know what's up with the hero!" The sherrif turned towards Ron and also spoke slowly. " Thank you Mr. Stoppable, Para... Doctors will be here soon to make you feel better." And with that he walked twenty feet or so in the distance and started making phone calls.

It was the gentle but incessant patter of Rufus who brought Ron out of his ruined state. With red brimmed eyes, a runny nose, and the veins popping out of the side of his head, Ron looked up to meet the gaze of his little buddy. The look that was across Ron's face though was filled with self loathing and pity. " I'm sorry little buddy, it...I just lost it." Confusion swept over Rufus' face until everything fell into place. He ran over twenty feet by Shego and started jumping up and down waving his arms around. Suddenly noticing the green and black heap, Ron pulled himself up and slowly walked over towards her. He was too anxious and yet couldn't look. He felt her before he visually confirmed her in good health, in fact she felt strong. Ron must have had her mixed up with the officers in his panic. Suddenly, Ron felt light, lighter than he thought possible. He bent over and checked her one more time, just to make sure. 'Mama didn't raise no fool,' Ron thought, ' I got lucky.' Straightening himself to be as erect as possible, Ron clenched his fist in front of his chest and exclaimed " Justice!"

After the chaos that had preceded it was decided by all responsible parties ,and Ron, that he would accompany Shego to the hospital while she was checked out. This was for two reasons; the officers backed out of it and because Ron knew Shego would be capable when she woke up. Ron also needed to repair his street cred, flipping out and all after the incident.

After about twenty minutes of riding in the back of the ambulance Ron heard his communicator beeping. Pulling it out Ron was a little surprised to see Kim's face appear on the screen. She looked worried. Putting on his 'it's okay grin' Ron chimed in " Hey KP! I take it Wade talked to you?"

" He said something about Shego terrorizing some guy and his family. Whats the sitch Ron?" Kim's demeanor visibly relaxed a bit.

" No big, nothing I couldn't handle. " Ron quipped.

" I'm glad to see your safe, not that I didn't think you could handle yourself. Where is Shego?" Ron turned the camera so Kim could see her still form on the ambulance stretcher, than back to his face.

" They sorta asked if I could escort her to the hospital until Global Justice came."

" Ron are you holding her hand?" Ron pulled his shoulders up and gave one of those embarrassed expressions.

"Well KP it's sorta one of those chi things. It's keeping her asleep." Ron hadn't really thought anything by it until Kim mentioned it. His training had involved practicing with Yori and that was one he was glad Kim was not there to bare witness.

With an annoyed look on her face Kim said " Maybe this is a sign Ron, I mean with the trip and everything. " These words did not surprise Ron. In fact the only protester he had to his little self exploring voyage was Kim. And like he dodged her a hundred times before he did so again.

" Kim, if anything this proves I'll be fine. " The trick was to use her name and sound confident. He read that in a book. " So what about you? How is the conference going?" It had been decided by a committee consisting of the Possibles and numerous colleage personnel that Kim Possible would attend several different schools. The colleages got to house the almighty teen hero and Kim got to experience the best of every school. Now it was just down to several long conferences to create the most expansive school schedule ever made.

With a nervous smile Kim replied " It's not so bad. I'm lucky to get to do this."

Ron chuckled at her response. " Well good luck KP, and no more breaking the rules, I'll call you tonight."

"Right the rules. " She didn't look happy " Bye Ron, and be careful."

" Bye KP." Ron held a sweet looking expression till the screen went out. A powerful silence descended upon the back of the ambulance. Ron looked down at his hand holding Shego's. Her hands were softer than you would think. His training had involved connecting energy, matching your targets and than slowly directing theirs to match yours. But there was more to it. Once when training with Yori, Ron had pushed his chi until it actual surrounded her's. He wasn't sure what it was he had done but for a moment he felt a powerful connection. Apparently Yori did too because she broke contact and with a dark blush excused herself. So in the back of an ambulance with no one else around Ron decided to experiment. It was hard to describe, but Ron looked at it like mixing oil and water. Even in the same container they kept their own respective body mass. So with his blue water Ron slowly engulfed Shego's green oil. It was weird as he slowly but surely forced his chi upon hers. After a while he got to the same point he had with Yori. He had to admit he blushed though he did not know why. A few minutes passed and an estranged part of Ron felt angry. To say it was a foreign part would have been close but not exactly. Another couple minutes passed and pain had been thrown in. Five more minutes and the intensity of the pain had gone threefold dwarfing the anger. It was about than that Ron noticed the oil and water had started to mix and a cyan or aqua color started to emerge. Ron jerked his hand back, afraid not sure what he was doing. No matter how strong someone is, the unknown will always be scary as hell.

The ride lasted another twenty minutes, with five minute intervals of Ron checking his hand. The physical contact was gone and yet he could swear there was still a connection. ' Maybe I figured out a way to keep her calm without contact.' Ron shrugged.

Night had settled in over the remote city of wherever the hell they were. Ron was oblivious. It was in the hospital waiting room he met up with the highway patrol man.

" Hey just the man I was looking for!" Ron said as he approached the officer. Al, as he was named, struggled not to make eye contact. " Mr. Stoppable, what can I do for you?"

'Still weirded out by the crying thing, damn.' "I was just wondering Global Justice's ETA. I hear the open road calling for me." Ron and Rufus needed to bathe, badly.

"I thought that you would, well you know, we don't have their number." Al looked at the floor abashed. " Oh right, well , yeah I know some people " Wade " and if not them I have another number " Kim " just tell me the charges. " A stone cold expression developed quickly on Al's face.

" Well what...charges sir?" An impending thought came rushing towards Ron.

" Al, she broke the law right? I mean she was terrorizing your family or...any of this ring a bell." An akward silence rang throughout the waiting room. Al and his sweat glands went into overdrive. " Al, did I just mercilessly beat down a civilian for shopping?" Again with the sweating and silence.

Al straightened up and with a firm nod said "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Stoppable, please give Ms.. Go? our condolences." And with that he turned around and walked out the double doors. Al left behind a shaken Ron. ' Oh good lord I'm the bad guy, but wait she had attacked first! But only after I told her the Ronman was gonna take her down...' Suddenly the foulness of the situation dawned upon Ron Stoppable. Maybe it was the years going through the motions or maybe it was the fact that Shego had intimidated him for years. No matter the cause the fact remained that in this situation Ron was the bad guy. ' Yeah she attacked me, but it was my intent that she reacted to. At least no one called Global Justice.'

As Ron sat in the waiting room ,beating himself up, he wondered what to do. He was interrupted by a prickling sensation in the back of his head. For some reason or another he knew Shego was up, and admittedly Ron wouldn't forgive himself if he at least didn't try to set things straight. The walk to the ER was noisy, the nurses and janitors having a rather uproarious conversation. They quieted a bit when Ron walked by but as soon as he passed snickers and laughter ensued. What they were laughing about Ron didn't know or care for that matter. He finally made it to the sheet like divider and took a deep breath before entering.

Shego looked up and made eye contact with Ron. Her first thought, from habit, was to defend herself. But as soon as she reflectively put up her hand across her chest a pathetic look crossed the side kick's face. It was than that everything came back to her, and having already noticed where she was, she relaxed. " Come to finish the job Russ?" After the look Ron gave her she felt it necessary to tease him. The attempt at his name was out of a respect she wouldn't admit.

" Shego, look I'm ... " She couldn't figure out his angle but oddly she felt sorry for him. Granted Shego did have feelings and all, she just wasn't used to them being so sensitive. "I'm sorry." If feeling badly didn't surprise her that definitely did. 'What is he sorry for?' As if she said it aloud Ron responded " I'm sorry, I talked to Al, or the cop and he explained to me. I understand you were just shopping.. I mean I guess ...I'm sorry." Wide eyed Shego stayed silent. The events played back in her head the best she could remember them. It was the familiar motions of the last four years or so that made her take so long to reach the conclusion that Ron had instigated the fight. ' He thinks he was responsible? What a clown! I attacked him.' But something else came upon her, a deep deep sadness. Shego felt herself unexplainably teering up. 'What the fuck!' .

Desperately trying to get out of the situation she turned her head away and said " It's no big deal, I mean a girl has a reputation and all." Her voice cracked at the end of her sentance.

Tears welled up in Ron's eyes when he heard Shego start to lose it. He must have hurt her pretty bad. ' She goes straight and all she gets is more of the same. ' Ron tried to speak but knew it would come out in sobs, his pride reigned his tounge in. It still came and with in minutes Ron was quietly crying. More surprising was that Shego started to as well. Upon hearing her cry Ron started to cry in full, and when he started so did she.

Shego couldn't understand why she was crying, let alone like this. It had been over five years that she had fallen apart like this. What the hell was doing this? She didn't feel directly sad either. But there was vague feeling tugging at her conscious, molesting and twisting her brain into behaving like this. ' Enough, tell this little prick off cause you were fine when he wasn't here!' Sadly it came out " Ru huh ssh get out!" Another large wave came over her. This was terrible. It could not be wor...

" Mr. Possible we..." The nurse stopped midsentence when she took in the scene before her. The great Ron Stoppable bawling like a child, and that green girl too. ' What is?' Slowly putting one foot behind the other she backed out.

After a few minutes Ron had calmed himself, in doing so it seemed Shego did the same. After wiping his nose on his already filthy sleeve Ron spoke. "Look I'm really sorry it was a big miss understanding and if you want to press charges I'll be here and all." He looked down at his feet not wanting to see her expression.

This situation provided a lot of oppotunities for Shego, and although she was trying to go straight she couldn't understand why she didn't feel like capitolizing on this at least a little. Instead she was overcome with regret. ' At least I'm not crying anymore. ' " I don't care Russ, just please get me back to my car." It was the best she could do.

It dawned on Ron that the damaged car out front must have been Shego's. ' I can't even claim destruction of property. But at least she is letting it go, that's a relief.'

A wave of relief swept over Shego, again another emotion she couldn't explain.

Ron had many awkward times in his life. For example the countless times he dropped his pants. But the whole experience was too much. First it was beating up a civilian, than it was sharing a crying fit with Shego. Pile on his lack of awareness and had to be told when Shego was going to change out of her gown. Which he could have sworn made her as embarrassed as him. Than having to admit he didn't have his truck. And the ever so quiet cab ride all the way back to the store. It was sometime in the early morning before the sun had risen when they got there. The dark lot with the comically exploded grocery store and their vehicles was all that was left on the scene. Without a word Shego left Ron to pay the cabbie and went towards her car.

' Well day one did not go too well.' Ron thought to himself after watching the cabbie take off. He looked over at Shego and watched her get into her mangled car which had also skidded back ten or so feet from his earlier theatrics. He kept his eyes trained on the car as he walked towards his truck. After getting in and pulling Rufus out of his pocket and putting on his seatbelt he turned the engine over. Thankfully the truck had been parked at the end of the lot so it took no damage. Ron put the truck in gear and turned to exit the lot but as he did so he noticed the damaged little car with no signs of life. Rolling up slowly he leaned over and rolled down the passenger window. " Shego? Hey Sheg... "

"What!" Shego exclaimed as she kicked the door open knocking it off it's hinges.

With a sudden surprising surge of anger Ron shouted back " Hey I'm just trying to help!" His voice scared him. Ron did not get mad.

Getting angrier Shego retorted " Well fuck head let's see! You can help by leaving me alone, you have done nothing but ruin me!" Anger anger anger, Ron should or would have driven away. He didn't, he saw red, just red.

" Listen bitch! I should just leave you but...but.." Ron was too angry to think straight. A wide eyed Shego blew up. Igniting her hands she started pacing heavily towards Ron's truck. It could have been the unnatural anger or poor choice of language towards a lady. Most likely it was Shego's flames being cyan in color, but it all came crashing down on Ron. His anger begrudgingly swept away he jumped out of his truck and ran over to Shego with his hands up. " Wait, please stop! " Ron pleaded, she hesitated. " Look I'm sorry and I didn't mean to say those things to you, and by the way it's not Russ it's Ron." He didn't know why that last part was so important but it was. With Ron's new sense of composure Shego followed suit. Still slightly annoyed she spoke.

" What's your game Ru, er Ross? First you come crashing in on me, than give me a pity party. "

" Ron, It's Ron. And secondly it was all a mix up and oh man I screwed up look you...aren't...yourself right now. Something happened between us and we are fueling each other's feelings I think, just bare with me?"

" What are you talking about?" 'What did he do to me?' " Spill."

" I don't know, just trust me...please." With that he indicated towards her enflamed hands.

Shego looked down and became mesmerized. Her familiar color had changed now laced with blue it seemed. But it wasn't just that, there was more there. Power. She shot a beam of cyan flame out into the lot and it exploded with three times the impact it normally did. Stunned silence ensued between the both of them. " What did you do to me?" Looking guilty Ron pushed the dirt around with his foot while his shoulders were slouched over.

" I'm not sure, but it's happening to me too! I mean, have you ever seen me that angry? I mean even when you dissed Bueno Nacho I didn't get that angry. " A thousand emotions ran through Shego at once, half of them were hers. She extinguished her hands and with it felt a wave of exhaustion. Suddenly Shego didn't care about much else besides a hot shower and a warm bed.

" Can I give you a ride, while I you know try to figure this out?" Ron was getting cold and he was sure that explosion would draw attention even in a desolate town like this. To his surprise she didn't argue, she just grabbed her bag out of the back seat, threw it into the back of Ron's truck and jumped into the passenger seat. ' Okay, that worked out I think.'

Ron woke up completely unaware of the time or where he was. After going the bathroom and about mid way through brushing his teeth it had all come back. The drive, the motel, the shower and the beautiful sleep. Rufus was next to him also brushing his teeth. Ron became lost in his memories of yesterday, the bond he had stupidly made with Shego. The worst part about it was the fact that she had been unconscious when he did it. Ron felt dirty, like he violated her. Ron continued daydreaming until he was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of a female moan. He shut his eyes hard and said "Shego?" Thats right he brought her with.

Shego tried to move but her body resisted. It was stiff, sore, and still tired. But things were not clicking for her. The need to get up was too great. With a soft moan she swung her legs around and sat up on the edge of the bed. "Shego?" She whipped her head around a little too fast for comfort and when she saw Ron it all came back. They held eye contact for a while until Shego turned back around and slowly buried her face in her hands. Through her hands she said " Monkey boy you have some explainin to do."

They were stopped at a coffee house about a mile from the hotel, the stop had been at Shego's insistence. Ron just sat in the truck with Rufus, questions racing through his head. The obvious one of course was what was stopping him from ditching Shego. The next was what the hell he had done to them and how long it would last. " What should I do Rufus? " The mole rat just shrugged at him. " Of course take the easy way out. " Ron's thoughts were interrupted by his communicator.

" Ron! You're okay, what happened? What has been going on?" Ron looked down at Kim and her worried expression.

" Oh KP! It was, well it's been a crazy twenty four hours." Ron nervously smiled.

" I saw the news, what did you do to that store? " Kim asked.

" Well it got a little rough..."

"Ron, you need to be honest with me. You said it was no big deal, that store was a big deal. "

" Come on KP it was a a battlefield."

" And what about the hospital?" Her tone had changed from worried to accusatory. Unfortunately for Ron he had no clue what she knew.

" I don't know Kim, it all just happened so fast." Ron said while waving his free hand around.

" Well according to the Global Press you and Shego had a tearful reunion when she got up. " ' Didn't think of the tabloids...' Ron became nervous as he started putting himself in a bad situation. It was all too wierd to explain. As he stammered with a response Kim continued.

" It goes on to say you left together in the same cab.."

" Well we did but it's, well , it's the cops fault! Shego didn't do anything wrong and I was wrong to attack her and I had to do something!" Kim looked taken back by his response.

" And now you are defending her? What's the sitch Ron? " Kim crossed her arms and stared at him. Fighting his better judgement Ron came clean with everything. After the two minute version silence settled on the young couple.

" You are pretty good at turning mole hills into mountains. " Kim smiled at him and relief swept over Ron's face.

" I'm really sorry KP, I didn't mean to screw all this up. "

" That's fine, just hurry up and finish your trip, I miss you." A blush swept across her face. And then Shego got in the truck.

" She's still with you!"

" Did I forget to mention that?"

" Oh hey Kimmie! Thanks for letting me borrow your bf!"

" Kim wait! " The screen died.

* * *

><p>Author's note*<p>

I've been a fan of fanfiction for many years now, but I've never submitted any work before. I had no idea how taxing it could be. The first thing I have to get off my chest is how great every one who has ever written anything and published it on here is. I've heard the cheese before but it's true what they say about baring your soul with your work. So a great thanks to all those who posted before me and a good luck to those who plan to do so. Please feel free to comment, I tend to get off track with my writing so any and all criticism is welcome. Thanks again.


	2. Part II  The Journey

Part II

As Ron Stoppable pulled onto the highway he gave one more glance to his new traveling companion. The earlier shock of the bizarre situation had faded and was replaced with irritation. Unfortunately it was hard for him to feel that way when he had Shego's joy encompassing his mind. He wasn't sure if it was the coffee or the fact that she had just pulled a fast one on Kim Possible. He took a swing.

" It's just coffee."

" That's not what I'm happy about."

And a miss.

" Would you please take your feet off the dashboard?" He looked at Shego's feet, and for the first time taking notice how she was dressed. ' Holy crap it's a dress.' Ron dared a quick glance at Shego and as he saw the red encompass her face he knew one way or another he had been caught.

" You know Roger, I was joking about the borrowing thing." Shego looked out the window, sharing in Ron's embarrassment was too much for her. Ron pushed forward.

" I'll take you to your car and pay for the tow. " Ron said focusing on the road too hard.

" No way. Not till you fix this. " Shego made a sweeping motion of her body. Ron smirked and replied

" Nothing beer goggles couldn't fix. " He regretted saying it instantly as a wave of depression draped over him. Shego looked like she was going to say something but instead bit her tongue. " I didn't really mean that." Ron muttered. Surprisingly he felt a little better, but than felt a little embarrassed. " You have to stop that!"

" It's not a damn switch!" Shego shot back as tensions started to flare. Than at once they both let out a deep breath, looked at each other and laughed. The laughter was contagious, starting with the normal pick up and then rolling into uproarious hilarity. Rufus looked on as Ron turned his head towards Shego and open mouth laughed. Rufus looked back at Shego to see her mimic the reaction, as if laughing straight in Ron's face. Every time one started to settle down the other one started back up. Every time one of them tried speaking it ended in a laugh.

" I never heard you laugh before. " Ron said ,several minutes later, wiping a tear from his cheek.

" I do every time I watch you fight!" Shego bust out again and so did Ron. The joke it's self was mild in humor but the situation in all its calamity magnified the punchline. After another laughing fit the two settled down. Again. The cab got quiet as both Ron and Shego were too afraid to talk. It didn't take long for an idea to dawn on Shego. And as she explored her new concept she started to ,as far as Ron could tell, feel herself up.

" If you need some alone time we can pull over..." Ron said admiring the show.

" Where did you put the moodulator? " She had an accusing stare fixed upon her face. Ron picked up on a sudden embarrassed feeling from her as if something perverted crossed her mind.

" Well I still have these so no not there. " Ron said while wiggling his fingers. Shego tried to be mad but between Ron's amusement and her own twisted sense of humor let out a goofy sounding giggle instead.

" What was that? " Ron asked trying to contain his own goofy giggle. Shego suddenly reigned in and became the epitome of business.

" Ralph, if it is not a moodulator than what is it?" Shego asked. The serious feeling overcame Ron as well.

" Stop me if you get lost." Ron paused waiting for her acknowledgment. Shego nodded in response. " I fused our " Ron struggled for words for a second "chi on accident. I don't know the details or how long it...lasts... but I'm sure we should be back to normal in no time. " After Ron said that he could feel light waves of anger surfacing and being pulled back. He didn't give her enough credit. After a few minutes Shego spoke up.

" I'm staying by you until this gets cleared up. Don't worry about the car it was a rental. Where are we going? " Shego said all this quickly as if talking interrupted her control of her emotions. Taking a minute to digest, Ron had a little control of his own to manage.

" I, emphasis on I, am on a road trip of self discovery. And you need to go back to Drakken or wherever you came from. " As soon as Ron finished talking he could feel the foreign ,but invasive, feelings of anger and sadness. The concept that Shego was a person and not some maniacal monster was still new to him. After a minute of regret he started to talk again. " I'm sorry. I kinda made this mess. Of course you can come with until I figure this out. "

"It's not that. Just drive." Shego set her eyes on the road. The two of them and the naked mole rat drove on in silence. The atmosphere in the truck was ,to say in the least, exhausting. After toying with an idea for a while Ron decided it was time to contact Sensei. Although he didn't know if it would work. Ten miles later they pulled into a truck stop and rolled to a stop at a gas pump.

" I have an idea to fix" Ron stopped, pointed at Shego than himself " us". Shego stepped out and went into the store without a word.

" Sensei...sensei..." Ron had been trying for ten minutes to project his thoughts while meditating. As he had feared he couldn't do it. Right after he gave up however the all to familiar ghost image of his sensei appeared behind him. Ron tried not to laugh cause he decided to meditate in the bathroom and Sensei happened to appear above a toilet.

" Stoppable son, you have need of me?" The ghost image shimmered as it spoke. It took Ron several uncomfortable minutes to explain everything to the ghost man.

" Stoppable son you have no need to fear. The mystic monkey power is at your command and when you choose to fix it, all will be balanced. "

" Okay and so how do I go about doing that exactly?" Ron scratched the back of his head as he asked.

" Beware Stoppable son, the path of the master can be a lonely one. You must grow and change to fit the power, less it be lost."

" Okay so I'm on my own, but I can fix it. Got you." Ron shrugged.

" Stoppable son, for every reaction there is an equal reaction. Black cannot exist without white. Just as light cannot exist without dark. "

" You know Sensei I love riddles. Hey what weighs more? A ton of feathers or a ton of crap?" Ron's patience was wearing thin. ' It's Sensei Ron, settle down. Shego must be angry or something.' Surprisingly Sensei just smiled back, and dissapated away.

After buying some snacks for himself and Rufus, and pumping gas Ron jumped back in the truck. Shego once again in the passenger seat this time with a magazine in her lap. As Ron stared at the magazine he couldn't help but notice Shego's exposed thigh next to the magazine. Quickly he started up the truck and with just a glance from Shego they were back on the road.

" So did you find something to fix " Shego imitated Ron's earlier gesture with exaggeration " us".

" I have an idea but it will have to wait. " Ron said between bites of a hotdog.

Shego was staring at Rufus on the dashboard, watching the rat eat its' food. " So why don't you just put pants on him?" Ron looked over and saw what Shego was looking at.

"Hey, Rufus will wear pants if he wants to wear pants. " Rufus looked up from his food for a second and then went back to work.

" Well it's just, he's intelligent enough to disarm weapons of mass destruction, but doesn't notice his junk hanging out." Shego said with a twisted grin.

" Hey you! Be nice to him! " Ron's said as his agitation flowed onto Shego. Apparently she noticed so she didn't say anymore. Rufus however seemed a bit stunned and for a brief moment, stopped stuffing his face. The rest of the day followed their prior pattern. The exchange of emotions prevented any one topic from going too far. As the sun started to set a wave of happiness and then nausea swept over Ron. The feelings were not his.

" What's wrong? Are you gassy?" The happiness to nausea thing made it click with Ron. Rolling her eyes Shego replied.

" I just realised that this stupid road trip thing is kinda fun. And than I realised who I was with. " Although her voice carried the disdain Ron didn't feel it. " Where are we going Rick?"

" It's Ron. And I'm heading towards the ocean. " Ron replied.

" Why the ocean? " Shego sat up enough to smooth her dress back down. The lack of an answer was an evident sign that the thought hadn't occurred to Ron.

" I don't know. To be honest I've felt the need for some time now. With the idea of a road trip it all just fell into place. " Ron started to rub his eyes. " I think it's about time to pull over for the night. "

Ron got two hotel rooms but Shego was reluctant to leave his. ' She doesn't take a hint does she.' Ron thought to himself after letting out another loud exaggerated yawn. ' Well now is as good time as any.'

" Shego I got that thing we can try." 'That sounded funny'.

" I've got a headache. " Shego said as she smiled back at him. Her amusement overcame Ron's frustration.

"Will you please just get over here." Ron said as he sat down on the bed. Surprisingly Shego did as he asked and sat across from him Indian style. Ron offered her his hand.

" Really?" Shego asked only to get a stern nod in response. Slowly she put her hand into his. Contact was intense. At first they shared a deep embarrassment. But than one of them moved onto the feeling of contact with there hands. Shego was overwhelmed by not only the warmth but the comfort that came with the touch. Blindly she subconsciously went towards the warmth. And than it was the smell. Not only his smell but his reaction to her smell. Mentally there was so much negative history between the two, but here with just the touch, on this physical plane, it was all instinct. Apparently Ron was absorbed as well cause when Shego leaned in to him he mirrored the movement. The heat built up until it changed into a wave of comfort. Shego felt like she was standing waist deep in an ocean of warmth. The sea brought forth every good feeling a person can have and it crashed upon her. It was all too much, she needed more. Ron pushed her back, not aggressively rather slowly like he was holding on to the sensation and rubbing against it. There arms and legs entwined, Shego felt as if she would explode. Everything quickened, grew more intense. Shego could feel Ron's breath on her neck now, and of course Ron could feel how Shego felt having his breath on her neck. And than as if signing her own death warrant sexual feelings came to mind. Suddenly Ron stopped, shifting himself up a bit, his eyes locked onto her face. Shego looked up taking her own moment to reflect. The communicator went off.

Never had Ron used his training more efficiently than when he disentangled himself from Shego and jumped off the bed, twisting in the air as he did so. By the time Kim's face came up on the screen the camera was facing away from Shego and the bed.

" Hey Ron, look I called to patch things up. I... " Kim stopped talking when Ron's face stole her attention. " Ron are you okay? You're face is beat red."

" Yeah KP! I'm so glad to get a call from you! Kimberly Anne Possible! " Ron was breathing heavily and tugging at the neck of his shirt with a finger. " It's just damn hot! Like the room, I mean no AC!" He let a nervous giggle out. Kim glared at him, scanning what she could see of the room.

" Ron. I don't know what's with you but you need to listen. I talked to Wade and he said their were reports of Shego and Drakken going their separate ways. " Ron's blank expression forced an aggravated one on Kim's. " She's evil again Ron! She probably couldn't handle having to pay for her stuff! " When he heard this Ron slipped and eyed Shego who still layed on the bed in what appeared to be a coma. Very little escapes a women scorned, let alone Kim Possible. " Ron, is Shego still with you?"

" NO. I mean come on KP, I can't have her cramping my style. I ditched Shego miles ago. " The lie came out too fast, and sadly too smooth. ' Digging a hole Ron, digging a hole.' Kim visibly relaxed.

" That's a relief. How could you stand being around her? I mean Shego? " Kim scoffed. Ron tilted his head while stealing another glance at Shego. She had picked herself up but her back was to him. Ron could feel that pain again. 'Rejection from everyone.'

" Well you know KP she isn't 'that' bad. " Ron said this sounding too casual. Kim rolled her eyes, smiling at Ron and his best intentions attitude. Shego quietly excused herself, Ron could feel an encroaching loneliness mixed with confusion, and a little bit of anger of course. He had more pressing matters however like how to turn a big lie into a general miss understanding. Unfortunately for Ron he was not accustomed to mind games and the remainder of the talk with Kim went more of the same. Although Ron couldn't help but notice a slight increase in seductive innuendo coming from Kim. Thirty minutes later Ron had showered and slid into bed. Shego's smell hit him as soon as he laid down and the thought to check on her crossed his mind. As he toyed with the idea his communicator magically flew onto his chest. Looking around confused, Ron soon found the culprit; Rufus.

" I know I know, I lied and it was wrong. But come on Rufus she called at like the worst time." Rufus stuck his finger in his mouth and made a 'bleagh' sound than scampered off. " Ron Stoppable, professional bridge burner at your service. " Ron joked weakly. Guilt was tacked on heavily with the sorrow that Shego was giving him. Shortly after Ron felt her fall asleep he followed suit.

Another awkward morning had passed and Ron was all too happy to be back on the road. If their was anything to really note it was that his good friend Rufus was wearing pants. Ron thought better than to ask, still getting the cold shoulder and all. To his dismay however Rufus had warmed up a bit to Shego, sitting on her shoulder to watch the road. After an hour of driving Ron decided it was time to talk about the inevitable.

" Shego " Good start " we should talk about last night. " 'Fair but stern' Ron thought.

" How's Kimmie in the sack?" Shego's abrupt response took Ron off guard. He almost took the bait but at the last second saw through it as an attempt to change the subject.

" I'm serious here. Please this is serious stuff. " Ron moved on. " Clearly the touching thing didn't work out, " They shared a wave of embarrassment. " But I think if we control ourselves I know I can reverse this. "

" How did it happen in the first place? " Shego asked. Her tone had more curiosity in it than spite.

" Does Drakken have blue balls? " No sooner than Ron said this a wave of disgust swept over him. Confused he chimed in " Wait I thought you and Drakken..." He let the sentence finish itself.

" For some reason it escapes every ones mind that I'm twenty four. " Shego said while eyeing Ron. She noticed he didn't catch on, which shouldn't have surprised her. " Drakken is forty six..." Ron finally got it.

" Yeah but with love age doesn't matter!" Ron said this firmly.

" Not your words Ryan. And don't forget the dynamic! He was a father figure if anything to me and yes we did try the relationship thing but it put a huge wedge between us. "

" So now I know why you aren't with him. But why out here?" Ron gestured towards the nothing that encompassed them.

" I just needed to go I guess. " Shego turned away as if turning off the conversation. Ron however was piqued. What surprised him most was how open she was. Then again with the emotion sync and all it started to feel natural. ' Shego and Ron bff'. A small smile played across Ron's lips as he thought this. Shego suddenly felt better from Ron's humorous intrusion.

" You know Randy, I used to despise your happy little camper attitude. But I have to admit I can't seem to focus on anything negative for too long when you're around. " Shego was still looking out the window as she said this. The compliment/omission was hard enough as it was. Ron was speechless. Whenever he had thought of himself he would usually just feel clustered or an idiot. Sure he turned it into a positive the best he could but that didn't mean it never got to him.

" It's Ron." Ron replied monotone.

" I know, it was just funny how Dr. D used to always mess it up. " Shego let a genuine smile show on her face as she looked at Ron. Ron smiled back weakly, his mind starting to linger on his inability. " Come on 'Ron', we both know how important you are when it comes to saving the world. Remember when I had you transferred and took over the world?" Shego herself didn't remember all the events clearly but that's what happens when you mess with time. " If anything Kimmie wouldn't be able to do anything without you. In fact I'm a bit surprised that things are still working out for you two. " Ron was slow to respond, still taken back by Shego's compliments.

" Wel.. Wait what is 'That' supposed to mean? " Ron piped back.

" It's just " She paused trying to find her words " you two balanced each other out. Whatever she wasn't good at you were and vice versa. But now look at you, I mean you are a capable fighter and with your powers nearly unstoppable. " Shego let out a chuckle. " Ron Stoppable... I'm getting off track. The point is that together you were the perfect team. But now you actually are the man in every sense of the word. So were does Kimmie fit in? " Shego had to shut her mouth. She wasn't used to paying compliments let alone to Ron. Even more odd, it didn't feel out of place. In only a few days he had started to feel like a part of her. A happier and warmer part.

Ron knew she was sincere. He could tell from the mild embarrassment and sincerity coming off her. But that didn't mean it wouldn't bother him. Ron had prior thoughts that Kim could retire and let him take over, once he got his control down that is. But he hinted at it before and Kim would not accept that. If anything she had already displayed a couple of moments at being overly competitive with him.

"Let's not talk about that. " Ron slouched a little bit. He felt like a failure as a boyfriend, all things considered.

" So I wasn't there but word spreads, do I look hot in the future? " Shego's line was timed for comedic relief. Ron's begrudged mask slowly chipped away and ,with his emotions betraying him, he started to laugh.

It was several hours later when the attack came, interrupting a heated debate.

" You see it's the government that lets gas get as high as it does. Which in turn makes everything else cost more. The economy it's self would be more stable and everyone would be happier if more limits were imposed on the big companies and leaving the little guy alone." Ron recited; clearly having thought a lot about this.

" So you're bottom line is that if Naco's were more affordable the world would be a better place? " Shego asked with amusement in her eyes. " Well I have to agree that your 'proposal' for limits on big business and tax breaks combined with cutting back on county involvement would make everything a little cheaper and create more jobs. But it's kinda a pipe dream. We have built the government up so we have something to blame in a time of crisis, and something to run to. You can't just start ripping apart the base of the tower without dire consequences. What you propose would take years of cutting back on special budget programs and dependency on government systems like welfare and medicaid. " A look of surprise came across Ron's face as Shego nailed down his concepts greatest flaw.

" Well you gotta start somewhere right? " Ron said smiling at Shego.

" So why not the Naco? " Shego teased. Despite it being a personal jab Ron couldn't help but chuckle.

" You know when I went over my lengthy idea with KP she just blew it off. " As he said that, Ron felt a ping of jealousy mixed with anger.

" Why are you doing that? "

" What? " Ron started getting nervous, not sure where this was going but somehow knew it wasn't good.

" Comparing me to Kimmie. You've been doing it off and on all day. " It hurt Ron like it hurt Shego when she said it. Of course it wasn't intentional, but Ron had to admit thinking back on several occasions he was doing just that. However before he could apologize a loud motorcycle with a rider draped in black pulled up alongside his truck.

" Damn buddy I'll move. " Ron started to change lanes.

" Ron that's not " She was cut off by the large blast that tore first through Ron's window and than Shego's. Still recovering from the shock, it was Shego who lit her cyan flames in one hand and shot out the window, hitting the bike in the front and sending the rider flying. Wide eyed Ron watched as the helpless attacker flew forward, only to land and explode sending a mass of goo all over the windshield.

" Synthodrones? " Ron asked rhetorically. Two heavy thuds came from the back as two more attackers landed in the bed of the truck.

" Take the wheel! " Ron said as he started climbing out the window. Shego had to admit; assertive Ron was kinda hot. After a quick thought she closed Rufus into the glove box and than got behind the wheel. Checking the rear view mirror she caught site of Ron and his two combatants. Behind them a dozen or so more drones on motorcycles.

With the wind whipping around him Ron felt exhilarated. His time to enjoy the feeling however was short lived as he was suddenly thrust into a series of motions to avoid being knocked off the truck. As the scenery whipped by at seventy plus miles , which feels a lot faster when you are standing in the bed of a truck, Ron fully engaged the drones. It was easier than he thought it would be but at the same time that feeling of failure nagged at the back of his mind. It was Shego's anxious and ,worried?, feeling that helped him shut out his doubts and focus on the task at hand. Ron grabbed a kick aimed at his chest and used the drone as a bat, swinging his body around knocking the other drone out of the truck bed. Ron did another rotation and let his victim fly into the volley of motorcycles taking out a bike. No sooner had he done this that two more came down and once again it was three's company.

Shego watched with intensity as Ron mingled with the drones. She had to admit his safety was a concern of hers. Doing her best to keep the truck as steady as she could, she hoped that they wouldn't turn their focus on her.

" Of course. " Shego shook her head slightly as one of the bikes came up on her window. The drone veered over and put a hand on the wheel, jerking it as he did so. The ancient truck screeched as it slid one way and than the other, eventually engaging in a full on zig zag. Shego managed to correct it enough to prevent the truck from flipping but the occupants in the back could do little to stay on board. With fear in her heart, Shego watched Ron fly out the back. Anger erupted and she focused back on her would be attacker. Grabbing hold of his arm, she pushed the elbow in it's opposite intended direction and with little trouble snapped the arm clean off. Shego finished with a blast from her right hand ,forgetting her new found strength, which obliterated the motorcycle and it's occupant. The blast sent the truck skidding off the road and with great effort on Shego's part merely skidded to a stop upright.

The remaining synthodrones pulled up to the truck which was now about a hundred feet off the road. Getting off their bikes they surrounded the truck and assessed the situation. It was than that the passenger door came off it's hinges severing one the their ranks in half. Shego jumped out furious, her hands aflame. Grief and anger ripped through her as she looked desperately around for Ron. Monkey master or no what happened to him was usually fatal. An uncountable number of feelings crashed on her, all of them painful. For the first time in her life Shego had the fight knocked out of her, beaten by sadness. As her flames faltered she quickly channeled those emotions into a twisted anger ,she was a pro, and lashed out on the helpless synthodrones. However Shego would be interrupted mid charge as an intense blue light shot onto the scene leaving behind a trail of syntho goo as it passed a group of them. Coming to a stop, the figure of Ron Stoppable emerged still glowing with blue energy. Putting his gaze upon them one by one, the drones started to explode. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The hair on the back of Shego's neck stood on end as she felt the energy collapse on each drone again and again and again. The synthodrones stood there as if the concept of what Ron was doing was beyond them. After a minute had passed all opposition was nothing but a gooey memory.

" Master Exploder! " Ron said right before Shego knocked him on his ass with a swift kick to the chest. Stunned, he looked up at her face. It displayed anger but coming from her Ron felt relief and a rescinding fear. ' What did I miss? '

" You dumb fucking stupid! " The insult came out wrong. " Why didn't you just do that in the first place?" Shego's eyes burned with the cyan flame. Ron got an embarrassed look on his face, which of course Shego felt more than saw.

" While I can access the power whenever I want, I've only had complete control when KP was in danger. " Ron said while rubbing the back of his head. " Or when I'm angry I guess. " He quickly added.

" I didn't think they would piss you off that much. " Shego added quickly. They eyed each other knowing full well the lie was easier to use as an explanation. The real option was too much for the duo to consider. Shego offered Ron her hand and after helping him up turned to assess the truck.

" Where's Rufus? " Ron's voice lost it's strength as he ran towards the truck. Sweeping frantically but to no avail panic overcame him. It was than that Shego came up behind him and opened the glove box. Rufus spilled out in a dizzy mess, physically unharmed. Looking at Shego Ron thought 'You're an angel.'

"Thanks, seriously. You have no idea how grateful I am. " Ron sincerely stated. Shego blushed and looked away.

" I think I have an idea. "

" Oh right. " Ron added sheepishly. It had only taken a near death experience to reunite Ron and his little friend as the shirtless mole rat cuddled up to Ron's neck. Sirens in the distance pierced the silence. Shego looked up and had an uncomfortable expression on her face.

" Relax. We didn't do anything. Remember " Ron pointed at Shego " good guy."

She relaxed a little but looked back at Ron and said " Not quite but you have a point. " It was Ron's turn to look uncomfortable as Shego picked up on his sudden anxious mood.

" What's wrong? " She eyed him suspisciously.

" It's nothing, I was just thinking how much of a hassle it would be to sit here and explain this." As he talked Ron avoided eye contact.

" Please don't lie to me. You're afraid of news getting back to Kimmie that you're still hanging out with the big bad wolf. " Her eyes slanted in accusation.

" Well " Ron started pulling excuses out of the air " yeah I guess. " He hadn't planned admitting it so easily. The expected pain emitted from Shego but to his surprise also came jealousy. They eyed each other for a second, not wanting to say or know what the other was thinking. With out a word Shego got into the driver's seat of the truck and attempted to turn the engine. Surprisingly after a few attempts it turned over and the truck roared to life. With a shrug Ron slid into the shotgun spot ,with Rufus in hand, and within minutes they were back on the road.

It was only twenty miles down the road when the driver side tire decided to give out. Catching onto Ron's mute panic, Shego mercifully got off the highway, driving with the flat tire, and went another twenty or so feet. As the sun started to set the two looked onward into a field of grass and trees neither one saying a word. For a few minutes they just felt each others emotions out and that seemed enough. The somber mood was interrupted by Ron's stomach grumbling.

" Any idea where we are? " Ron asked as he looked around.

" No clue. You want to take a look around? " Shego asked. Ron thought about it but after a second shook his head.

" I think we should lay low for the night, than try and get help tomorrow morning. "

" Of course, don't want to tarnish your reputation." Shego said with a sigh. Ron was about to respond but knew that her words had more truth to them than he wanted to admit. The weirdest thing about their link was the unspoken bond they developed, as if what they said aloud was only fifty percent of the conversation. With a loud creak, the driver door opened and Shego stepped out. " I've got girl things to tend to. " She said before Ron could ask. And with that it was just Ron and Rufus again.

" Rufus I gotta call Kim, would you mind? " Ron pleaded. Rolling his eyes Rufus jumped through the broken window and went off. With a few minutes of fumbling around Ron found his communicator and the screen came to life. With a couple buttons he had the call going through to Kim. Quickly Ron ended the call before she answered. The truth was he had no idea what to tell her. His misery and guilt seeped out into his hands as they lightly trembled. ' Suck it up Ron, you did this to yourself. Clean it up. ' With a false bravado Ron redialed and let it go through this time.

As Shego sat against a tree and watched the sunset she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. The past few days had felt like years. A series of life changing events had been forced upon her in this short time and coping was difficult. After Drakken she had sought out a therapist. As pathetic as that sounded it was her last option. It wasn't like she had friends lined up to hear her out, and Shego wanted to change. So it came to pass on a sunny day in June that she started her first day of therapy. It was different than what she had thought. First of all the anonymity factor stayed strong even for her. The receptionist and the doctor either didn't know her or pretended they didn't. This was evident with the lack of accusing stares that she was so terrified of. The first session itself was an unexpected experience.

" Why don't you relax and tell me a little about yourself? " The doctor looked at her as he kept his head down.

" I'm not crazy. " Shego said while still standing. The doctor looked up ,his head following him this time, and looked at his patient.

" Crazy people go to clinics my dear. People who are in need of balance or a professional ear seek out shrinks. Now please sit down. " Not being able to find anything to argue about Shego reluctantly sat down.

' This is so dumb what am I doing. ' She thought to herself.

" I'll tell you what, let's do a little role reversal. I'll be the patient and you be the doctor. " His brow raised as he waited for a response.

" Look doc its my dime " 'Drakken's really' "that we are on here. " As Shego stood up to leave the doctor took her place on the couch, sprawling out as he did so until he laid on his back. Looking around the room slowly Shego couldn't help but feel as if she were the punchline of some twisted joke. Just as her anxiety started to rise the doctor's voice interrupted her.

" My name is Richard Tash. Although my friends refer to me as Rick and my patients usually use the more formal Mr. Tash. " Shego hesitated as Rick started talking. " Professionally I'm a psychiatrist although on a personal level I always wanted to be a writer. It took me some time to come to terms that my writing was a little on the stiff side for the genre I pursued." The room went silent as he looked up at Shego expectantly.

" And what genre was that? " Shego asked him as if that was what she was supposed to say.

" Science fiction. I grew up a huge Star Trek fan. I was such a big fan that I was classified a 'nerd' in high school and to put things rather bluntly spent most of my Friday nights alone. The company I did keep was out of desperation for someone I could relate to and because I was terrified of not having anyone. " Rick spoke with a matter of fact tone although it was evident that some of these memories at one time were rather painful. Without thinking about it Shego sat down in Dr. Tash's chair.

" So than why a shrink? " Although he was a stranger he had piqued her interest.

" For one thing I was good at reading people. And when I had come to the decision I had already lived a life filled with humiliation and self loathing. Admittedly my original goal was to understand people so I could fit in. But as time went by and my studies came to fruition I realised that there was nothing wrong with me. Sure I'm an odd man, but it was people's fear to accept me because they couldn't relate. Prejudices vary widely but what they all have in common is this; a fear of the unknown. So here I was with the decision to use my gifts for mingling at cocktail parties or contributing to society. "

" Lemme guess, the greater good prevailed. " Shego words were laced with sarcasm.

" No, rather it was my own selfish desires that prevailed. I thought ' why change myself when I can just change them'. To this day I have to admit that it's implausible pride and a god complex that made me pick therapy. Of course we always have to justify our actions and so I use my success stories for just that. You see there is a fine line between accepting your actions and excusing them. And as flawed individuals the best we can hope for is to ride that line. If you spend all your time accepting your actions you'll begin to think the worst about yourself. And excusing them just makes you blind. But if you accept what you have done and learn to excuse yourself and learn from your mistakes you will find yourself to be a balanced, confident individual. " Rick sat up and poured himself a glass of water. From what Shego can tell, this man just admitted to being a self absorbed fraud.

" What angle are you playing doc? " Shego's prior anxiety began to flair. Dr. Tash just smiled at her.

" My point is that no person is perfect and exposing yourself to someone else isn't all that difficult. In fact you may be thinking things like I'm a fraud or a sham. But you are missing what is important. I am human just like you. And we are flawed, no matter what. It's not the flaws that matter though, its recognizing them and changing what you can. And accepting what you can't. " Rick's prior patient role subsided as he stood up. " When I was younger I was very sexist. To this day I still am. But when a situation arises I can admit to myself this flaw and with that in mind make the most fair and balanced decision." Rick walked over to his door and opened it. " It's time for you to make a decision. Door number one " he pointed at the couch " or door number two." The silence that settled in the room was palpable. With all her prior doubt and anxiety forgotten, Shego got up and laid down on the couch. The original feeling was one of being exposed. But as she settled into the couch the cushions ebbed around her like a shield.

" So tell me, what do you like? It could be anything, perhaps a morning jog or the first cup of coffee in the morning. " Rick gently closed the door and settled down into his seat.

And that's how it went. For weeks Shego visited Dr. Tash and with every visit came a new sensation. It wasn't what she had thought nor hoped; it was something new. For the first time in a long time Shego had stopped running and started to accept who she was. Snapping out of her flashback Shego looked down to see Rufus looking up at her.

" What do you want runt? " She inquired teasingly. Rufus feigned being nervous and than cut the act out so he could crawl up onto her lap. Shego gently stroked Rufus as she watched the last of the sun go out. A piercing cold coming to replace it. As intense emotions of guilt and fear came at her Shego surmised Ron must be talking to Kim.

" He's the pure acceptance guy you know. About the only thing he doesn't accept is that he's human." Shego's comment fell on deaf ears as Rufus started to snore. A smile played across Shego's lips as she reflected on that night in the hotel room. Sadly that was the most intense contact she had ever had with someone. ' I don't know which one it was but ol Ron Stoppable popped some kinda cherry that night.' Shego giggled and she put her head back to rest against the tree.

He was about to tell her. About to stop pretending that everything was alright. But it was than that strong familiar emotions attacked him. ' Of all times to be thinking about that Shego picked now to do so. ' With his courage all but gone, Ron crumbled and instead just continued to listen to Kim talk about her day. It was than that another thought came to mind.

" Hey KP? " Ron interrupted. Kim looked a little annoyed. " With all this school stuff, maybe its about time you think about retiring from the whole saving the world thing you know. I mean I'm more than capable and all now. " As quickly as he brought it up she dismissed it with an eye roll.

" Come on Ron like that's gonna happen. " Getting shut down bothered him more than he thought it would.

" What you don't think I'm capable? " Ron said this with a sternness Kim wasn't used to.

" Well no Ron it's just " she looked in the air for answers " the whole saving the world thing has always been my deal. I mean, well you know..."

" I was just tagging along. " Ron finished for her. " Well things are different now Kim. What would be the harm with you letting go and letting the RonMan pick it up? " He had to admit referring to himself in the third person seemed childish.

" Ron, I've seen what you can do. You're amazing. And even without these " she waved her hands in circles " monkey powers you are more than capable. But it's not in my nature to give up control let alone walk away. What if something happened to you? I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. " Kim looked at him with an earnest expression.

" That's sweet Kim " 'I don't deserve her' " but you can't always be watching over me. I mean where are you going to find the ..."

" Ron " Kim interrupted " it will all work out. After all anything is possible for "

" A Possible. " Ron muttered defeated. " Yeah I know. "

" Everything will be fine Ron. " Kim sounded as though she was trying to convince herself more. Kim started to feel the more time Ron spent away the more he was becoming someone else. And she didn't feel comfortable with that.

It was the first time Shego felt that despair in two days. Possibly longer. But it wasn't coming from her. While holding on to Rufus she got up and headed back towards the truck. It was an awkward sight; watching Ron sulk as silent tears rolled down his face. 'He's still a child.' Shego thought. She approached the window but didn't open the door.

" Hey. " She waited for Ron to acknowledge her.

" I know I'm a baby or something weak like a a a kitten. " Ron declared. Shego had to stifle a laugh after hearing his unusual metaphor.

" Ron, you can't be so hard on yourself, I mean you're only human. " Shego desperately wanted him to cheer up. It knocked her 'new self' off balance without his constant cheerfulness.

" Well that's not enough " Ron's voice started to rise " I can't even get Kim to trust me enough to live her own life. And why would she? I've been nothing but a burden on her from day one! " He buried his face in his hands.

" Quit feeling sorry for yourself! " Shego's anger itself was half hearted. " It's not you it's her. Kimmie is going to do what she wants and that's that. If anything this is a lesson you need to take from her. If 'she' is ready to move on than so should you. "

" I don't want to break u..."

" I'm not talking about that Ron! You don't need her permission to do something, especially if its something you know you have to do." Ron looked up at her, snapping out of his angst if only a little. " You label yourself a loser, why should 'she' see anything different? "

" KP does not think I'm a loser. " Ron whipped back defiantly.

" Maybe so, but she treats you like you're... " Shego stumbled trying to find the right words.

" An incompetent child. " Ron's choice of words sounded harsh to Shego.

" That's not important though, what is is that you fix it. " Shego smirked realizing how much she sounded like Dr. Tash. Ron looked at her and then back to his own hands. The thought to shield himself in their embrace crossed his mind. He didn't.

" Because that's how I think of myself? " Ron muttered to himself. Shego smiled weakly.

" You realize I have bigger balls than you right? " Shego said trying her best to defuse what remained of the situation. Try as he might Ron had to chuckle. After all she-balls was a funny concept. ' I mean where would they go? ' Ron thought.

" Thank you. " Ron expressed with words and emotions. " But you realize this doesn't change what I did. " Shego looked confused.

" What are you talking about? "

" Uh hello? We were all over each other!" Ron said while pointing at Shego than himself.

" Ron you can't blame yourself for that it's "

" I wanted it..." His admission was so quiet it took Shego a minute to catch it.

" Wh wait what do you mean? "

" I wanted it okay!" Ron shouted back. " I wasn't thinking about Kim or anything else, I just wanted to to to take you then and there. And somewhere in the back of my mind I still do!" The confession rang through the air. It took Shego a little time to find her voice.

" Ron that's normal. I mean you're still a teenage boy. And what happened stopped before it went too far. If anything you should be proud of the fact that you did stop and haven't pursued it." Shego finished weakly, sending Ron a wave of her own self pity. Of course he miss understood.

" I'm sorry, I didn't even think about the fact that I kinda forced myself on you..." Ron again sought comfort in his hands.

" You didn't FORCE anything I didn't want! And yeah the emotion thing and all but christ I'm still a women! " Shego said relying on her common go to emotion; anger. " Quit whining like a man child and accept the fact that you will always have your faults!" Again with the Dr. Tash talk. " If anybody should be sorry it's me. After all if I hadn't stuck around you wouldn't have had a second thought about me."

" That's not true either. " Ron said pulling his face out of his shield. " No that's not true. In some guilty way I've always thought about you that way. I mean usually it's just fantasy and all. " Ron started to blush. " But never in a million years did I think I would end up here. I was sure you would never notice me like that. And to top it off you're the bad guy. At least you were. "

" What do you mean "notice you" like that. " A false disgust laced Shego's words. Ron smiled weakly at her and just tapped the side of his head.

" I know whats happening between us. It's not just 'Motel 10'." The incident was now named. " I know you aren't used to getting along with people. But do you think it's this easy? Do you think it's always so deep? This is how people are when they fall for each other. I know enough on how my powers work and so believe me when I say that 'Motel 10' wouldn't have happened if either one of us didn't want it to. If anything it was our bodies trying to catch up with our minds."

Slowly, Shego set Rufus down in the passenger seat, and than walked away from the truck. Ron was about to say something until he noticed that she was running back, fast. It happened before he could think, with a swift dive and her flames igniting Shego sent both fists into the seated form of Ron Stoppable. The impact blew the driver door off and sent Ron flying into the night. A streak of cyan followed his flight path, catching up with him only to send him downwards with a sharp elbow to the chest.

With dust strung out in the air Ron pulled himself up trying to gain focus. He looked down and noticed his shirt in tatters but nothing else was out of place. That is until the the blast connected to his back sending him flying yet again. This time he managed to land on his feet and with his attentions properly place back on the battlefield he felt out for Shego. Ron's prior fears had been all but forgotten so it came at little difficulty to find her and avoid the next attack. The blast swept by harmlessly and as Shego came at Ron in person this time he was ready.

It was more like a game than anything else. Shego would attack and with little effort Ron would avoid it, block it, or stop it. But the fight was soon fading from Ron and when he finally put his hands down he started to talk. " Stop this ple.." He was int erupted with a fist to the face that sent him skidding into a tree. Before he could recover she was on him. Pummeling him with blows to the stomach and head. It could have lasted all night had Ron not gotten angry. One by one he caught Shego's fist and growled the word " Stop!" As he spoke a wave of energy blew past the villain cracking the ground on either side of her and extinguishing the flames. Still holding her, Ron swung her around and threw her against the tree.

" Knock it off! " Ron said which made him vulnerable to her next attack. With a forceful tackle Shego had him on the ground. Ron wasn't sure what it was exactly, but Shego's demeanor changed.

And then she kissed him. She pressed their lips against each other so hard it hurt. All past aggressions dissolved as Ron kissed back pulling her against him. No words could describe the power of that kiss. And in Ron's mind it could have lasted into infinity and still not be long enough. Shego however felt different and pulled back even against his protest. She reignited her fist and smashed into his temple.

Ron was out. Shego got up, feeling more exhausted than she ever had. She checked if he was okay and than stumbled back towards the tree. ' I've got to go. I can't do this.'

" You're a nice guy Ron, but you're not my guy. And I need to work on myself anyway. " After another minute of composing herself she took off towards the truck to get her stuff. Shego was so out of it she neglected to notice a little stow away as she grabbed her bag and headed for the road.

**Author's note* Again a great thanks to everyone who has published and provided countless hours of reading material. I'd like to note that I stupidly spent two hours editing this only to not save it. So please go easy on any comments or critiques. The second time around was a little rushed.**

**Dr Tash* First off he is not a self projected character of any kind. I sought out a polar opposite to Shego. After all I needed something to expand her limited character, Anger and Sarcasm. It seemed that anytime the show started to expand on her they quickly retracted it. ( Go team Go, Stop Team Go, that Christmas episode). Original characters are ,in my opinion, the bane of the fanfiction world. But if done just right can make for a great addition to a story. I don't have the skill to do that. So having Tash interact with only Shego and using her as a medium I hoped to kill two birds with one stone.**


	3. Part III The Shattered

Part III

* * *

><p>The alarm went off though Ron was already awake. Clicking it off, he was dressed and on the road jogging with in minutes. Five miles later Ron was in the kitchen drinking breakfast. Half an hour later he was showered and on his way to work. Eight hours later Ron was back in his car headed to get coffee with his girlfriend. One black coffee later they were headed to the theater. After one hundred and twenty six minutes of boredom a car ride back home ensued. Two hours later Ron was showering as the cab took his guest home. And then came the terrifying part. The couple hours it took to fall asleep. Quickly after his road trip had gone sour Ron decided it was easiest to bury himself into routine. He had done just that and more, with two calendars on his wall. One for what he would do every day and one with stuff he could do in case he had free time. Every other Sunday ' update calendar' was written down. Sadly try as he might, the gap between the days events and his slumber left plenty of free time. And it was then ,with no other distractions, that he felt 'her'. The bond which he had inflicted over six months ago remained, just as strong. Only now it was harder to deal with. Not having any clue what 'she' was doing or where 'she' was. It was just random feelings hitting him at anytime. Sometimes comfort, and sometimes sorrow. To 'her' credit Ron noticed far less intensity in the emotions. But how they did nag at him. From that night they separated onward Ron had truly felt like he had lost a part of himself.<p>

The alarm went off though Ron was already awake. Clicking it off, he was dressed and on the road jogging within minutes. Five miles later Ron was in the kitchen drinking breakfast. Half hour later he was showered and on his way to work. That is until a ghostly figure appeared in the road. Swerving to avoid hitting the phantom, Ron drove his car off the road narrowly avoiding a tree. It took a little extra effort to force the snow free from the car door but eventually Ron did so and got out. He looked around but his phantom was no where in sight.

" Stoppable son!" Ron jumped and spun around. It was the ghost image of Sensei. ' Of course.' He thought.

" That was pretty bad timing o' wise one. " Ron could feel from countless miles away concern coming from the Green Lady. Of course she had to have felt his shock. " So, what's the occasion? " The phantom stayed expressionless as usual.

" It's time for you to return to the Yamanouchi Ninja School . " And with a smile Sensei vanished.

" Yeah KP my plane leaves in like thirty minutes so I gotta go. " Ron was at the airport rifling through his pockets as he talked to his girlfriend.

" This is all so sudden, what about work? " Kim had been throwing curve balls at Ron all morning in an attempt to stop him or at least make him slow down. However Stoppable son had relented with his quest and just like before dismissed her.

" Listen Kim, you take care of yourself. And if you go on a mission don't be afraid to call me. I'll let you know when I land. " Ron did one last check for Rufus, which always left him disappointed.

" Ron." Kim waited for him to look up at her. " I love you. " A glaze flashed across Ron's eyes.

" I love you too KP. " Ron looked up as his gate was announced. " I gotta go. Remember, be careful. " And with that he was gone. Kim limply dropped her communicator onto the bed. ' When did it get like this? ' She thought to herself. There was a time when any talk with Ron would put her in better spirits. But now it seemed to be the opposite. It was like talking to a wall. The only response Kim could expect from Ron anymore was a disinterested understanding of what she was saying. Granted if she needed something he tended to it. Ron spent time with her, and still went out of his way for her. But the feeling like he wasn't there nagged at her. Kim thought back to when it started, it was right after his road trip.

_Kim had to sneak into the hospital to avoid the press. Of course someone had to tip them off. It took her little difficulty to navigate the hallways and after ten minutes she found the back way to the nurses station._

_" Excuse me. " She waited for the nurse behind the desk to notice her. " Excuse me." Kim said again growing impatient._

_" Yes can I help you?" The nurse said with an aggravated tone. Kim pressed on._

_" I'm trying to find Ron Stoppable. " The nurse stopped what she was doing._

_" Honey, you are gonna have to step out with the rest of the fan club. " After saying this she went back to her work._

_" Excuse me. " Kim repeated her new catch phrase this time with an emphasis on the 'me' part. Finally the nurse looked up and the recognition was instant._

_" Ms. Possible! " Flustered the nurse struggled to get out of her seat. Once she was up however she wasn't sure what to do with herself. Kim spared her the embarrassment._

_" Please just let me know where Ron Stoppable is. " Kim just looked at the nurse who was staring back dumbfounded. Kim glanced at the computer and than back up. The nurse caught on and with a nervous giggle started punching at her keyboard._

_" He's down the hallway second door on the right. How have you been dear? " Kim sidestepped the question and with a simple 'thanks' excused herself. As she walked towards Ron's room she couldn't help but be annoyed at the lighting. Prolonged exposure to hospital lighting always gave her a headache. As Kim approached the door she could hear voices. She couldn't help but eavesdrop if only a little._

_" Mr. Stoppable are you sure? "_

_" Yeah yeah. It was all a big miss understanding. " Upon hearing her love's voice her heart jumped a little. With a light knock she interrupted. The officer that Kim saw looked up, recognizing her instantly._

_" Oh Ms. Possible, I was uh just leaving. " He nodded towards Ron and slid by Kim out the door. The reunion hadn't gone the way Kim had thought it would. First off Ron wasn't looking at her, he was looking out the window. And then of course there was the fact that he didn't even acknowledge her._

_" Ron?" Kim called out weakly. She shut the door behind her and took the empty seat next to his bed. " Ron, are you okay? " Kim took his hand and held it in hers. " Ron talk to me. " She wasn't expecting the pained expression she saw when he turned around. Kim couldn't help herself and pulled him into an embrace. " Ron what's wrong? " Reluctantly she let go as he gently pushed her._

_" I fucked up KP. I fucked up and I'm sorry. " Ron turned his head to look out the window again. A million thoughts started racing through Kim's mind. She was relieved he was okay but didn't know what she had missed. " What happened? Why are you here? I heard something about Shego attacking you. " Ron took in a deep breath and let it out. Without looking away from the window he started to talk._

_" I was with Shego. I didn't ditch her that was a lie." Kim retracted from Ron's confession._

_" Why did you lie? " Her tone matching her sudden anger._

_" Because when you called we were in bed together. " A long second passed before it registered; Kim jumped up._

_" Very funny Ron. " She waited for a response but got silence in return. Thoughts began to race through Kim's head. " You slept with her!" Ron spun around and looked at her._

_" No no, I was trying to fix the connection thing and it ...well .. it just ended up in us laying next to each. Clothes on and all. I just , it was weird and you put me on the spot so I lied. "_

_" And." Kim glared at Ron._

_" And...well and she kissed me but that was later,but that's all Kim. I mean we talked a lot but., look I'm sidetracking here. " As Ron floundered for words Kim tapped her foot on the floor. Ron settled down enough to put his words together._

_" I lied to you and I betrayed you and I'm sorry. Nothing beyond what I told you happened. I'm sorry." Upon hearing Ron's confessions Kim could feel the pain in her chest. Picturing Shego and Ron didn't help either and within seconds she was fuming._

_" Ronald Stoppable you piece of shit! " Whatever was within Kim's reach came flying at Ron. He didn't even flinch as she bombarded him with medical supplies, his guilt forcing him to take whatever punishment she dealt out. As soon as Kim was out of stuff to throw she dove into Ron's chest beating it as she did so._

_" Damn you! Damn you!" Kim sobbed each 'damn you' accompanied with a punch. After a few minutes her fist began to grow sore so she switched to her elbows. After another few minutes of turning Ron's chest into jelly she calmed down enough to look at him. Tears still flowed from his eyes and he turned his head to avoid eye contact. Kim grabbed his jaw and turned his face towards her. " You look at me! " The couple made eye contact and everything started catching up to them. Kim noticed her knuckles were bleeding and though Ron wouldn't admit it his chest felt like it was on fire._

_" So?" Kim's icy tone and fragile demeanor shocked Ron. It took him a minute to respond._

_" So...what? "_

_" So what about me? Did you even think about me? What about us? Are you running off now with that, that whore? " Kim spat. Ron looked back at her surprised. He thought she was the one that left him._

_" No I'm not running anywhere. It's not like I was out to leave you! I just...well I just got in over my head I guess. " As Ron said the last part he gestured towards the hospital room. Kim looked at him wearily. Putting distance between them Kim said " Tell me about it. "_

_And so Ron started at the first lie and went from there. He got a little vague from time to time which Kim had noticed but she remained silent letting him finish his story._

_" In the end even Rufus abandoned me. I just, I'm so sorry. " Ron went back to staring out the window. Kim squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could. Without opening them she spoke._

_" Ron. Do you love me? " Ron looked taken back at the question._

_" Well yeah of course. "_

_" And do.." Kim was struggling to speak " do you love her?" The pleading look in her eyes told Ron what she was hoping to hear. Under any other circumstances it would have been an unusual question. But Kim could tell something was different just by the way Ron was referring to her. The two of them had clearly bonded on some level. _

_" No Kim I don't. But.."_

_" But.." She cut him off._

_" But " he continued " I feel something. I've wrestled with it and I honestly can't tell you what it is. I know, that I don't love that women, and I know I don't feel for her like I do you. But I also know that I was sad when I woke up to find her gone. " The word's cut through Kim's heart. Had Ron not looked so pathetic she might have lashed out again. But Kim could see that no physical beating could compare to how much he was mentally beating himself up. With intense mental coaching and preparing herself Kim opened her mouth._

_" I've got to get a soda. "_

Over the next couple weeks Ron had conformed his life to Kim's. He got an apartment and a job where she would first attend college. In fact he bent over backwards to adhere to her life and it was Kim who had to remind him of what he wanted to do. From the little things like decorating his apartment, to luncheons at Bueno Nacho. All of it was through Kim and it was only at her insistence that they did anything she thought Ron would want to do. After a month it grew tiresome and Kim decided to give Ron some space. It was than that the distance started to really grow. His life had become an open book, predictable to a 't'. Which wasn't Ron. He called every night at exactly five unless they were going out. Which was also predictable; a show of some kind and than a romantic dinner out on the town or at his apartment.

Looking around her dorm room Kim let out a large sigh. " My boyfriend is a robot. " She said to no one. In truth the trip to Japan made her feel a little better. It was ,after all, the first thing Ron had done without consulting her in months. And yet she was still all too eager to stop him. ' Why was I trying to stop him? ' Kim thought. After taking a shower and getting dressed up Kim decided to use her time off to do some shopping. After all it was a girl's best therapy.

Shego shut the cab door behind her and it drove off leaving her standing in front of the large mansion. Gathering her courage, she approached the gates. The man at the gate greeted her without a word and let her pass. ' He's been expecting me. ' It took her another two minutes to make it up the front driveway and to the great double doors that was the entrance. Before Shego could knock the doors opened to reveal a butler. Without a word he escorted her through the luxurious house and to the dining room. Sitting at the end of the table sat Drew Lipsky, indulging in what appeared to be lunch.

" I like the place. It's...cozy?" Shego said as she looked around. Drakken put his utensils down and looked up at her.

" Hello Shego. I don't suppose you came back to apologize. " Drakken's tone was unreadable.

" My therapist told me I had to pay you a visit." Shego smiled at him, coldly.

" Always with the jokes. That's all you have. You break my heart and than come back just to laugh in my face! " Drakken leaned forward in his seat as his rage built up. Shego was going to correct him about the therapist but was too proud to. Instead she took a deep breath in and pulled out a sheet of paper. Quickly she began to read.

" Drew, for the past several years of my life you have taken great care of me. " As Shego started to read Drakken sat back, stunned. " Whenever I needed anything you were there. And although I was quick to make threats you took it all in stride. As an employer I couldn't ask for better and for that I thank you. "

" Please Shego I..." Embarrassment draped over Drakken's face.

" It came to little surprise " Shego continued " that our relationship would evolve into what it had. " She paused as if skipping lines looking for a good part to pick up. " Drew, I'm sorry that things ended the way they did. I come back here today to tell you properly that I'm not interested in a relationship like that. And I hope that you'll find it in your heart to forgive me." Shego finished her speech and looked upon a speechless Drakken. His daze wore off quickly however and he jumped up holding his arms out.

"Shego I couldn't stay mad at you! " Wide eyed Shego stepped back even though they were over fifteen feet apart.

" Slow down there tiger! First off I just came to apologize, not make up. And secondly you need to cut the crap! I've been attacked by synthodrones three times now. " Shego held up three fingers for emphasis. In an agitated manner Drakken started tapping his fingers together.

" Well maybe I did go a little overboard with the drones. But dammit Shego I missed you! " Drakken started walking towards her. Every nerve in Shego's body told her to attack but Dr. Tash told her this would be difficult. Drakken might as well have hugged a board with Shego's stiff demeanor. It was when Drakken tried to sneak in a kiss that she stiff armed him. A pained expression crossed his face.

" Et tu Shego. " Drakken pleaded. Shego rolled her eyes at Drakken's dramatics, trying to come up with a way to end things peacefully.

" Drew, I don't look at you like that. You're more like a father to me." Shego smiled a sad smile. The middle aged man frowned and turned his back on her.

" I'm sorry you feel that way. " Drakken said sullenly. An audible click came from his pocket and the room filled with a gang of synthodrones. " But mark my words you will be mine. "

" Thank you Drew. " Shego said crouching down getting ready for combat.

" Oh, what for? " Drakken cocked his head as he asked.

" I was trying to come up with a way to put the fear back in you without breaking the rules. "

" Rules what rules? Well that isn't fair no one told me about any rules!" His complaint fell on deaf ears however for Shego had already engaged the first drone. Sending a bare fist through it's chest it imploded on itself in goo. Another drone came in for the attack with a kick chest high but Shego ducked and drove her hand into its groan piercing that one as well. Drakken paled as he watched. The combat was getting more intense however as several more drones came at her and soon Shego was forced to retreat if only by ten feet.

" Give it up Shego, I know what you can do and I made these drones resistant to your powers. " Drakken said with a sigh.

" Let's test that theory. " Shego said with a twinkle in her eye.

" It's not a the..." Drakken lost his voice as cyan flames erupted from Shego's hands. Shego took one long step forward and brought her hands together in a clap. The result was a wave of cyan energy that shot out in a crescent cutting the remaining drones in half. That part Shego expected. What she didn't expect was the arc continuing to everything else in the room. Luckily Drakken had assumed his usual fighting stance and was curled up safely on the floor, under the attack. But the walls weren't so fortunate and the room started to crumble down. Shego yanked Drakken with a firm grasp on his collar and jumped out of the room right before it all came down.

As the dust settled Drakken looked around for his attacker. Shego however was no where to be found. His butler sprung up around the corner.

" Are you alright sir? "

" No you buffoon! Get me the police! Wait! I have a better idea. "

Shego could hear the maniacal laughter outside the compound.

Kim felt the sunlight spill across her shoulders through the mall skylight. It was ,in her opinion, one of those great little pleasures in life. The usual crowd assembled around her, not wanting to encroach Kim's personal bubble. ' Drama .' Kim thought to herself as she reflected back on the paparazzi who scared her. It was unfortunate that she broke his nose, but the lawyer she got in exchange for a favor cleared it all up. ' Defending myself from impending doom. ' Kim smirked. She entered Club Banana and started her usual browsing. Looking around she let out a slow sigh. It saddened Kim to not see her friend Monique working behind the counter. But Kim had moved on from that life and was starting a new chapter. Although she had to admit the chapter had started on a down note. No matter how much she tried to distract herself she always fell back onto thoughts of Ron.

_It was the summer after graduation with Kim and Ron in the Stoppable garage playing darts. _

_" Booyah! The Ron man scores! " Ron exclaimed after scoring three triple twenties in a row. Rufus jumped up to high five him. The pattern had started to wear on Kim as they went into their third straight game with Ron shutting her out. " Face it KP! You have been outclassed by capital 'R' with an 'on'. " Kim started to grind her teeth at his dumb theatrics. But it wasn't until she completely missed the board that she lost it. _

_" You're cheating! " Kim accused. Ron dropped his smile and changed his expression back to the helpless loser. _

_" Come on Kim, maybe I really have just gotten better." Ron shrugged as he said this. _

_" Or it could be that your mystic monkey man crap makes you super human. " Kim shot back. Ron could tell she was starting to get more angry at herself for getting sore. " Whatev, it's not fair playing darts with a super hero. " _

_" Well thats been my line for years now. " Ron said gently as he smiled back. Kim looked at him and couldn't help it. She just felt silly. _

_" Okay, new game. I start. " Kim said throwing a dart. Ron caught it mid air as easily as if it were a side thought and stepped up to Kim. Her prior agitation resurfaced. _

_" Wh..." Ron interrupted her with a kiss. _

_" You wouldn't have liked that throw. " Ron moved down to nuzzle her neck. His breath sent out promises of warmth and comfort. Not enough however and after Kim tripped Ron back she threw her second dart at the board. The dart in Ron's hand shot upward and into the ceiling and Kim's connected on the twenty right below the triple. ' I could have sworn I had that. ' She thought to herself. Ron jumped up with a chuckle and started for the door._

_" You want anything to drink? " He looked at Kim expectantly. _

_" No I'm fine. " Kim said more focused on getting her dart back. She couldn't help but notice ,as she pulled the dart out, that the tail feathers were now torn. Kim jumped up to grab her other dart from the ceiling and immediately noticed the tail feather threads entwined around the dart tip. _

_" How? " Kim paused lost in thought. " Ron whats happening to you? " She said covering herself with her arms. _

' Why couldn't I handle it? ' Kim thought to herself. She often had similar flashbacks and it always played out the same. Ron would exhibit some new ability or skill and Kim would get sour about it. She had come to the conclusion however that change can take time for people to adjust to and even her ,The Mighty Kim Possible, could be subject to said time and adjustment.

" Kim you there? " Kim pulled out her communicator to see Wade.

" Yeah Wade? " Kim asked. Wade looked a bit taken back.

" What happened to ' What's the sitch?' " Wade smiled. Kim rubbed her temples in slight frustration. Although Wade was a teen genius she had to remind herself that he couldn't read people for squat. To his credit, Wade caught on the second time around.

" The website just got an unusual hit. " Wade looked at Kim expectantly.

" Just spill already Wade. " Kim's agitation was growing.

" It's Drakken Kim, he says he was attacked and had some things stolen. " Surprise mixed in with Kim's agitation.

" Okay Wade, what's the sitch?" Wade picked back up and started a debriefing.

" Shego. She was last spotted downtown, I'm sending you the coordinates now. You'll have a ride out front within half an hour. "

" Got it, I'll call you later. " Kim started to end the transmission.

" Kim wait! Do you want me to call Ron? I mean it is Shego after all. " Kim's eyes widened in response.

" No don't let Ron hear a peep about this. Got it? " Kim said sternly. Taken back a bit Wade just nodded and then ended the transmission.

Two hours later Kim was standing over the DZ strapping on her chute.

" Thanks for the ride. " She said without looking at the pilot.

" It's the least I could do aft.." He didn't get to finish for Kim had already jumped. ' Peace' Kim thought to herself as she started her decent. This was yet another one of Kim Possible's great little pleasures. The wind knocked away all sense of hearing , gravity screaming to retake her body and eventually it would but not now. Now Kim was free of all feeling and sensation but one. She closed her eyes and drifted, opening herself a hundred fold to the joy that is free fall. It was the only thing in her life that she had no control over and was comfortable with. But all good things must end and upon entering the desired altitude she pulled her chute. Still the gentle glide down was part of the experience, a cool down period from that dramatic flight. And as Kim touched down on the ground she couldn't help but feel regret, she always did. Like leaving the sky was akin to a small child leaving Disney Land.

" Wade, I'm a block away. Are you sure this is where Shego is? " Kim was talking into her communicator. Wade tapped away at his keyboard, his computer screen flashing.

" Yeah Kim I'm sure. I know it sounds weird but Shego has utilities and all in her name there. " Wade responded, he looked like he was about to continue but Kim interrupted.

" Thanks. " Kim turned off the communicator reflecting on her treatment towards Wade. Perhaps it was a little short, after all there was neither a 'please' nor a 'thankyou' anywhere in their last several conversations. ' I'll send him a gift basket later.' Kim joked to herself.

" How about this? " Shego asked expectantly holding the black ensemble in front of her.

" Nuhu. " Rufus said shaking his head. Shego let out a sigh and tossed the clothes into a large pile of rejects. She had to admit finding something that went well with her body shape, hair color, skin color, and eyes was nearly impossible. What's worse was that the little rat had an even higher standard than she did. With a little more fumbling around Shego stepped out in a light green tank top with black pants. ' Black and green, the colors of my life.' Rufus jumped up and gave her a thumbs up.

" I don't know, it makes you look kinda frumpy. " Shego spun around to personally witness her would be tormentor. It came as quite a surprise to see none other than Kim Possible. Shego's prior shock dropped as she in turn picked up her sarcastic persona.

" Kimmie. Come for some girl talk? " Shego's mind had already put together the pieces. And as much as she would like to beat down her old nemesis, she liked her little apartment. Besides she had another month on the lease.

" Shut up Shego, just hand over the gizmodo thing and give up. " Kim was surprised with her sudden anger. Granted it was the sight of Shego that caused it and Kim had an idea of why.

" Look Kimmie, you're being played. " Despite Shego's protest against the conflict Kim jumped at her. Shego jumped out of the way, landing with a roll. Rufus interrupted the fight jumping up to Kim with a hug. " Kim!" he exclaimed. Kim gave Rufus a smiling glance and stuffed him in her pocket. As she looked back up Shego was retreating through a window.

" Coward! " Kim shrieked as she ran after the Green Lady.

" I just don't want you breaking my stuff. " Shego said while jumping from the ledge. She performed a graceful swan dive , and rolled onto the roof of the building adjacent to her apartment. Kim jumped out the window but used her grappling hook instead. A well aimed swing with her feet ,directed at Shego, met nothing but air. Shego turned around to face Kim after her little dodging maneuver.

" Kim, you need to cool down. As much as I would love to beat your ass, I can't do it. " Shego said pretending to be distracted by her nails. Kim squinted as if she was trying to look through Shego's scheme.

" You think you're better than me? " Kim retorted. It creeped Shego out a bit.

" Maybe you should see my therapist, he did wonders for me. " Shego smirked back.

" Like anyone would want to listen to you. You're a goddamn mess! " Kim said waving her hand in Shego's general direction. ' Why does everyone think I'm joking about the therapy? Was I that bad? Wait what did she say about me being a mess ? ' Shego thought.

" Well Ron listened, all night. " The words came out too quickly. Shego didn't rightly care for Kim's feelings. But Ron had become somewhat important to her and the thought of causing Ron any grief bothered her.

" Don't you dare talk about him! " Kim was beyond angry as she said this, her words hardly coming out as understandable. Of course this just egged Shego on.

" In fact, sometimes I listened two or three times before he even listened once!" Shego said dismissing months of therapy and self control. Everything was too rich, how could she not indulge? Shego had never seen Kim react that fast. The grappling hook shot at her first, easily dodged. But the free flying hair dryer that shot out the hook was unexpected and clocked her on the nose. The blow was mildly agitating if anything but that's all Kim wanted. With precious little time to close the gap she did a running slide onto the ground sweeping Shego's feet out as she did so. Shego caught herself in a handstand position but Kim had an axe kick come down on her tailbone which in turn slammed Shego's face into the rocky rooftop. Dazed, Shego tried to roll away. But there was Kim one step ahead again. It had come down to a gritty looking street brawl as Kim sat on top of Shego's chest while abusing her face.

" ENOUGH! " A blast erupted from Shego's body knocking Kim up and away. After a rough and tumble recovery period Kim ended up on her feet. She looked up to see Shego; cyan flames and all. All fight left Kim's body as she saw 'her' Ron's colors in Shego's once lifeless flames. It was an affront on a personal level, a reminder of what once happened and still is. Kim hated those flames so much she couldn't describe it. Like a bastard child being born into the world as living proof and a reminder of a husband's infidelity. Between her newly acquired control ,and seeing Kim's face, Shego hesitated. ' What is up with that look? Did my top burn off? ' Shego checked herself out quickly. Upon noticing her flames ,which to her had become natural, everything fell into place. Going against her evil self's wishes, Shego extinguished her flames. As far as she could tell Kim was done.

" Search through my apartment for ' stolen goods' " Shego snorted "if you want, I don't care. Drakken played you Kim. And don't forget Rufus' stuff, he'll show you where it is." And with that the Green Lady jumped off the building and dissapeared.

Kim had been walking the streets for hours, no regard for where she was or where she was going. After searching Shego's apartment ,and breaking a few choice items, Kim had discovered not a damn thing. And why would she? If Shego had stolen anything it would have been money. The combined assault of her crumbling relationship and her failings as a teen hero pushed Kim down to a new low. Without any regard for the packing Rufus she walked out the door dragging her feet. When Kim got on the street she was assaulted with another painful memory.

_" So Kim I was thinking and all. " Ron broke the silence that had settled in on the young couple. They were on a grassy hill in the park watching the emerging stars as the last cries of daylight rang out. " I was thinking about what our future held for us and all. " Kim smiled, her gaze still on the stars. " Kim I was thinking..what if.. after my training that is.. I went out to be a hero, I mean my own crime fighting force. " Kim couldn't help but giggle at Ron's choice of words. " Well you know then you could have more time with school and I'd be able to do something with my life. " Kim looked down to meet Ron's expectant gaze. She grabbed his hand and held it firmly. _

_" Things are perfect just the way they are Ron. " Kim stated. Ron looked more disappointed than she thought he would. " You're still the Monkey Man Ron. " Ron tilted his head as if to interject but he didn't. " Now Team Possible is stronger than ever." Kim squeezed his hand as she said 'stronger'. Things went quiet again, the crickets took it as a cue to chime in. _

_" I'm gonna do something with my life you know. I've been given a lot of gifts and I'm not going to waste them. " Ron said with determination. Again Kim giggled. Ron looked up and asked " What's so funny?" Kim let go of his hand and messed up his hair. _

_" I just think you're cute when you're determined. " Kim said going back to looking at the stars. " You ever think about how insignificant we are Ron? " Ron rolled away upset. _

_" Yeah KP been there done that. Remember sophomore year? I tried having the same conversation and you blew it off. " He said looking away from her.  
><em>

_" Captain Constellation is hardly a deep conversation Ron. " Kim said. Ron rolled back over so he could look at her._

_" Well if you had heard me out that's what I was getting at. The insignificance and all. " His voice became soft near the end of the sentence. Kim locked eyes with Ron, her voice filled with emotion she spoke._

_" I admire you Ron Stoppable. I wish I could be half as care free as you are. " Ron stayed frozen as Kim leaned in to kiss him. " You're the missing piece to the puzzle that is me. " Ron looked around frantically shaking his head. _

_" That's what I'm trying to tell you Kim! I'm changing, I'm growing. I have been. And one day you'll see. When you look at me you'll see Ron Stoppable the man. " _

_" You're adorable. " Ron started to protest but Kim tackled him sending them rolling down the hill as one. Ron ended up on top. " You feel manly now? " Kim said half mocking half seductive. Ron bent down and kissed her._

The memories flooding Kim made her heart ache. ' This isn't fair! Why couldn't things just stay the same?' It was no longer deniable. Ron was gone. Kim wasn't sure when or how, she just knew that Ron was gone and would never be back. Not the Ron she knew anyway. The Ron she loved. ' How could I be so stupid? How couldn't I see what went wrong. Where did it go wrong? '

_Ron got off the bed and quickly started putting his clothes back on. Kim was confused. " What did I say? " She asked pleadingly. Ron ignored her and continued to dress, now putting on his shoes. Kim wrapped the sheet around her and got up to follow him out of the room. " Ron wait. " No response. " Ron please. Please don't go. " He hesitated at the door, his shirt still in his hand. " Ron please just talk to me. " _

_" Kim. " Ron paused choosing his words. " Do you realize how you talk to me? " _

_" What do you mean? " Kim stammered. As she waited for a response sirens could be heard in the background. Their contribution to the mood didn't help. " Ron what are you talking about? "_

_" That's the problem Kim. I can't talk about anything and have you take it seriously. " Ron still faced the door. " Every time I try to talk about 'my' future and 'my' plans you either go on autopilot or laugh at me." _

_" Well come on Ron every day it's something new! I mean one day you're gonna hone your skills and be a Master Monkey Man and the next day you're gonna work for Bueno Nacho corporate! How can I take anything you say seriously? " Kim didn't mean to sound so harsh. Surprisingly Ron turned around. _

_" That's cause I don't know what I'm doing Kim! How am I ever going to come up with anything grand enough to proudly stand next to Kim Possible!" Silent tears flowed down Ron's face as he talked. _

_" We've been over this Ron " Kim started retreating towards her room, the imminent danger of his angry departure all but gone. " Being you is more than enough. After all you're the one who doesn't care what other people think. " Ron stepped back in her room, taking an aggressive stance as he did so. _

_" I don't Kim. I couldn't care less. But I care about what you think. And I can tell how little you think of me! " Kim pulled back, her expression laced with pain. _

_" Ronald Stoppable you are the world to me! " Kim turned her back to him and started to get dressed. _

_" No Kim, I'm just a piece of a puzzle that is Kim Possible. " _

_" Oh Ron don't be such a drama king! " Kim waited for a response. She didn't get one. After a quick look around she noticed Ron was gone. Loneliness encroached itself upon Kim. " Jerk. "_

' That was two days before his road trip.' Kim thought. Sure they had made up, but it would never be the same. Kim looked up and noticed she had walked to the pier. ' I was down town wasn't I?' As she continued on the boardwalk she looked up to look out at the water. There was no other breeze in the world compared to sea breeze. It lifted her spirits if only a little. Kim stuck around for a couple of hours, absently watching the horizon and occasionally glancing over at a street performer. ' I want it all back. '

" Booyah! " Startled by the voice Kim jumped. She turned around and saw the entrance to an arcade. As if driven by an unseen force Kim walked into the gaming area. When she walked in she looked around for the source of the voice. The only occupant in there was a young man with dirty blonde hair. Kim's hopes sunk a little. The mysterious man didn't seem to notice her as he jumped up with a fist pump. " I don't expect you to talk small alien space craft. I expect you to die. " The mystery man let out a phony evil laugh. Kim couldn't help herself, she had to smile.

" Hey." Kim said approaching the man. At first he ignored her, more intent on the screen. But than he caught her reflection in the black screen. He promptly turned around and gave a nervous smile.

" Hey! " He said a little too loud. " Do you need change? " He risked a quick glance up and down to check Kim out.

" No, I just. " ' What am I doing' " I thought you were someone else. I'm sorry. " Kim started to leave but the young man slid in front of her, almost tripping himself as he did so.

" Well I was about to close up shop anyway. You new? I haven't seen your face around here? " Kim was taken back, someone who didn't know who she was. " I'm Timothy by the way, you can call me Tim. " Kim looked down deftly at his extended hand. When she didn't reach for it right away Tim asked " Was it something I said? " Kim snatched his hand and shook it.

" No no I'm just...I'm out of it. I haven't eaten or anything. " Kim said back quickly.

" Well that's perfect Mrs..."

" It's Kim. Just Kim. "

" That's great, I mean about you being hungry and all cause I was just planning on heading over to the Burger Barn. Care to join me? " Tim's expression was one of pure innocence. With a weak smile Kim nodded her head and the two headed back onto the pier walking away together.

* * *

><p>Authors Note* First, thanks for the positive and negative feedback, I appreciate the input. A special thanks goes out to Joe Stoppinghem, I hope I don't disappoint. Some of you might have noticed that this chapter is shorter compared to it's counter parts. The truth is I had a set start and finish point with a vague idea of how I would get there. I got there faster than I thought. The next chapter is already longer so I hope that will make up for this one. Again comments and criticism is always welcome in either form of review or pm. And as usual this story is dedicated to the many authors in the fanfiction world.<p> 


	4. Part IV The Redemption

Part IV

* * *

><p>Shego ducked under the sudden blast, it sailed over her head and decimated the back wall of the bank. ' Being on the other end of this blows. Normally it stops when I want it to.' She thought while scanning the room for an advantage. The desk Shego used for cover suddenly exploded, sending the lone occupant for alternate cover.<p>

" Hey stud, I like it rough and all but this is ridiculous!" Shego yelled over her shoulder as she started searching through some desk drawers. ' Come on! Doesn't anybody bring guns to work anymore? ' A gun of course was not Shego's style but she desperately needed something for a distraction. Seconds later a computer screen flew across the room. The large mongrel of a man swiped away the screen in annoyance. He didn't notice the large cyan blast trailing behind it until it was too late. The man monster was blasted back taking out a desk as he landed on it. ' Now's my chance. ' Shego thought. She tossed yet another computer monitor , this one making contact, and landed on her helpless foe. Two bare fisted blows reigned down on the Man's face. His eyes rolled up and he was unconscious. " You're lucky I didn't explode you." Shego said as she stood up. The truth of the matter was Shego had no clue if she could explode him or not. She did know ,after some practice, that majority of things she shot at either blew up or away. A shudder went over Shego's body as she reflected on that night she attacked Ron. She didn't know then how easy it would have been to kill him.

" So you little devil, what's your story? " Shego asked eyeing the sleeping giant. He was about eight feel tall and riddled with muscles. His face was scrunched in like it was sucking itself in, and he had a mechanical attachment on his right hand which ,of course, shot lasers. ' So do I string him up and make a pun about him hanging around? ' Shego looked around for some cord or something but thought against it. ' I'm not a hero! ' a look of consternation graced her face. ' I'm just a concerned citizen. Right cause that doesn't sound lame.' Shego let out a long sigh. ' So what do I do?'

Several squad members from the local S.W.A.T. team entered the bank with riot shields in place. After several minutes of silence the order to breech and clear had been given. The smoke grenades had their pins pulled but weren't thrown on account of the team leader holding up a stiff closed fist. Slowly he stood up and the others followed suit, repinning their smoke devices. The anti-terrorist team looked at the scene in awe. The office space itself was in shambles. A few bits of paper still cluttered the air and a small fire burned in the background. What was most alarming however was the large hulk of a man hanging upside down from the ceiling.

" He's decided to 'hang out'." Shego blushed.

* * *

><p><em>For reasons Shego didn't want to think about, Kim had left the communicator in her apartment. And the half naked mole rat. Neither one bothered Shego but she wasn't sure what to do with the communicator. Her initial response was to do the responsible thing and auction it on Ebay. Her savings account was depleting and a normal job sounded...well normal. As for Rufus, he had to go back sooner or later. Shego was surprised with the deep conversations she could have with the little rat. In fact it was close to some of her conversations with Dr. Tash. Although Rufus mostly listened so that could contribute to the 'intensity' of said conversations. In fact, the most Rufus ever talked was when he explained his initial plan to Shego. Rufus had Ron in mind ,of course, when he had left; so Ron could work out the drama. ' And I'm just so damn charming.' Shego added in with a thought. In the middle of her thoughts the communicator went off. She ignored it. And then again. With a hope of it being Ron on the other end she finally answered. It wasn't Ron. Surprise came over the young man's face as he had expected Kim Possible. Of course the recognition was instant, but Wade couldn't recollect ever personally dealing with Shego. <em>

_" Where's Kim? What did you to her? " Wade's bravery was transparent. _

_" Not sure, let me check my pockets. " Shego replied with years of practice at being a smart ass. She went so far as to actually pat herself down. _

_" You're not gonna get away with this! " Wade furiously clicked away at his keyboard. _

_" Calm down bojingles. I didn't to anything to Kimmie. She left this " Shego motioned at the communicator " thingy behind. " Wade stopped typing and a look of concentration crossed his face. He had profiled Shego enough to know when she was telling a lie and why. And the chance that she was now seemed minimal. After all he checked her on the GPS and she was in 'her' apartment under 'her' name. _

_" I'll check her cell, you mind hanging onto that for her? " Wade asked while taking a sip from his cup. Shego didn't care much for her nemesis but she was still particularly fond of Ron so reluctantly she nodded. After the screen blacked out the thought of calling him overwhelmed Shego. But it could only ruin things. From what she had seen in the tabloids 'Kon' was a power couple ,yet again, with no signs of slowing down. For years Shego had basked in her own selfish desires taking whatever was in her power to do so. After the whole 'reform' thing it just didn't feel right to pick up the old habit. The communicator went off again and Wade's face popped back on. This time with genuine concern._

_" I can't get a hold of her. " He said looking expectantly at Shego. _

_" And I'm caring because..." Shego retorted with her own expectant look._

_" Kim hasn't left the city Shego. Which means 'something' happened. " Wade shot her a suspicious gaze. Shego pinched her thumb and pointer finger together and rubbed them back and forth._

_" It's the world's smallest violin! " She said in a baby voice. Wade wasn't amused. _

_" So let me get this straight. You didn't 'do' anything to Kim, but you have her communicator. You're not trying to hide the fact that you do, and you're not trying to hide where you are either. So what did happen? Something tells me Drakken wasn't telling me the whole truth. " Wade was having trouble piecing together the story. He was a genius but he wasn't clairvoyant. Despite all this advanced technology and spy equipment his own personal boundaries prevented him from knowing too much of his friend's personal lives. Wanting to be free of this intrusion Shego started to break things down._

_" I saw Drakken to..clear.. some things up. It goes without saying that I am no longer in his employ and he's not happy about that. " Wade reflected on the news reports of several appearances of synthodrones in the past several months. He nodded for Shego to continue. " The rivalry between Kim and I has always been ...intense..." She wasn't sure where to go from there. " But after she 'invaded' my place and attacked me I was able to convince her that she had been fooled by Dr. D. " ' That'll work.' " I guess she felt kinda dumb about the whole thing." ' That and her boyfriend filling me with his chi-seed.' " Did you think to check back with Drew? " A surprised look crossed Wade's face. _

_" Well I..I..I didn't think that...well I gotta go. " The youth stammered back and discontinued the transmission. Shego laughed with delight. Keeping the device in her hands she started to toy with it. 'It's kinda bulky.' She thought. The beeping went off, again. _

_" Prove to me you didn't do anything to Kim! " Wade's face popped up. Again. Rufus jumped to the rescue this time and landed on Shego's shoulder, with a thumbs up. Wade was forced to concede. The concept of a fake Rufus being created for the sole purpose of convincing him that Shego wasn't a threat was too much. Wade was going with the flow at this point no matter what. " Okay I give. But we have a problem! " _

_" What's this 'we' business? " Shego said with a mock disgusted look. _

_" Shego, whether you want to admit it or not Kim provides an important service. And her sudden vacation or kidnapping isn't going to go over well. "_

_" Ever heard of Global Justice? " _

_" That's not the point. It's the symbolism behind it all. " Shego looked confused as Wade talked. " If an average teenage girl can stand up to evil than anyone can. If something happened to Kim however it would undo all that we've worked for. It's probably nothing but please just look for her. " Shego squeezed her eyes shut. Rubbing her temple she let out a sigh. _

_" I'll look " 'For Ron's sake.' " but don't be surprised when it turns out you over reacted. After all Kimmie is the 'average teenage girl'. " _

_And that's how the whole thing started. After a quick jaunt through her closet, Shego dressed herself into a black and green track suit and embarked. Having no clue where to go or what to look for she ended up wondering around aimlessly for an hour.  
><em>

_" This ain't gonna happen. Try someone who cares or turn on a tracking device." Shego was having another pleasant conversation with Wade. _

_" Tracking device? " Wade tried remaining vague._

_" Well it's either that or a broom stick that's up her ass. " Shego held her hand up in mock deduction. Wade couldn't help himself and guffawed through his closed mouth._

_" Long story short, those methods aren't an option. Besides you've got a mission." Wade was avoiding eye contact on purpose._

_" Hold on fatty mcfattertin. I said I'd look for her not replace her. " Shego was starting to get agitated. Wade shrugged._

_" I just thought .."_

_" You thought nothing! And you'll continue to think nothing. " Shego interrupted. Wade continued anyway. _

_" I just thought " He paused waiting for the protest that didn't come " that you could use some help with your public relations. " Shego winced when she thought about her latest tabloid exploit. To put it bluntly they didn't like her. " Not to mention if you do this who knows what job opportunities will come your way. " 'Job opportunities?' Shego thought but before she could ask Wade interjected. " I'm looking at your bank account right now." His face held an almost piteous look to it. Of course it was all an act, for the sake of getting things done. _

_" One job, but I expect to get some kind of payment for this. " Wade visibly relaxed after Shego responded. _

_" Sure sure. You'll have a ride there in a few minutes. " Wade said punching away at his keyboard with unfathomable fury. _

_" Okay. What about the side kick? " Shego did her best to sound uninterested. _

_" Well Ron's off in Japan and all. Wait, why do you care? " It came out differently than Wade planned. " I mean I just don't think you and Ron would work out too well. " _

_" You're not the only one. " Shego replied sarcastically. Wade gave her a funny look but than let it go. _

_" So anyway, " Wade had gone off track " It's a bank heist in progress. I cleared your name from the 'not allowed on premise' list so you're all good. " Shego was impressed. ' Maybe it won't hurt to make some friends.' She thought._

_" Alright. Thanks fatty. Or.. " Shego paced herself " What's your name again? " _

_" It's Wade, and your welcome. "  
><em>

_The ride to the bank was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Of course this guy had been called thinking doing a favor for Kim Possible meant giving Kim Possible a ride. ' I guess you got the shit end of the deal huh buddy.' Fortunately it was a twenty minute ride down town and it was all over before too long. _

_" Thanks . " Shego said out of character. _

_" Well it's the least I could do after Kim Possible helped my wife deliver our newborn son in the back of that car. " The man rambled on. _

_" I'm surprised Kim did that! I mean with her condition and all. " Shego couldn't help herself. The driver looked back with a befuddled expression. _

_" Condition? " _

_" Oh I thought you would know. Kimmie has herpes. " Shego leaned in to whisper the rest. "And not the good kind. " And with that she excused herself from the vehicle.  
><em>

_Apparently Wade had called ahead because Shego was greeted with at least pretend respect and was kindly escorted to the bank doors._

* * *

><p>'And that's how I met the man of my dreams. ' Shego scoffed at the thought of the man monster.<p>

Shego was offered a ride back to her apartment by a police officer. It was the first time she had sat in the front seat of a cop car.

" Thanks for helping out back there. Christ could you imagine a normal person trying to handle that 'thing'?" The police man had broken the silence with his comment. Shego was lost in her own thought.

" Yeah sure. " She said continueing to stare off into space. The officer picked up on her disinterest but carried on.

" I was pretty bad when i was younger you know. " No she didn't know. " I stole cars and stuff, but I had things happen to me and I decided to change myself. "

" Sounds like a good story. " Shego's voice was drenched in boredom. The cop looked slightly agitated.

" Look Ms...Go? All I'm saying is that I know what it feels like, to be the bad guy. It's easy at first because you're being fueled by whatever it was to make you act so selfishly. But than you get to a point where you are spent and just don't care. Maybe a lot of bad guys would stop at that point. " The cop put his hands up in mock resignation. " But they won't let em quit will they. " He looked at Shego. She looked back knowingly. " Those people, those 'better than thou' bastards. They know what you did, and they know that you're just hurting or scared. But instead of trying to help they just look down from their tower. " The cop was talking more to himself now. " How are you supposed to be anything other than a 'bad guy' when those bastards won't let you. Everyone who listens to 'them' starts looking at you the same way. " He shook his head than made eye contact with Shego. " But don't worry, cause they'll get there turn. One day that little glass house will come tumbling down and they'll get what's comin. " The passion behind his little monologue came as a surprise to Shego. She could relate to this man on every level.

" And yet you're 5-0. " That was the only piece that didn't fit. The cop nodded back with a stern resignation.

" You goddamn right I am. Now I'm the 'man'. And of course it's all the same. I still point guns at people, I still ruin lives. Even the pay balances out after you factor in court fees and jail time when you get busted. Yeah I quit my old life, dropped off ta' face of the earth. And I moved away with a fresh start. A fresh start is an incredible thing. Especially when you know the right people. " He gave Shego another knowing eye. " Don't miss understand me Ma'm, I may not be the sharpest pencil in the box but I have no delusions about what I'm doing. But I figure if I can counter balance what I had done I might be able to move on with my life. That's the tough part, the moving on. " Shego nodded in agreement. She had never expected to meet someone with the same conflict, let alone a cop.

" You know I could use something to eat. " Shego tried sounding casual. The cop looked surprised.

" With all do respect Ma'm, I'm worried as shit about my past being exposed. I know our government intelligences may be limited but ta' paparazzi " he waved his hand in disgust. " it just wouldn't be a good idea for a former thug and a former evil force of destruction to be seen together. " The logic behind the refusal kept Shego from feeling rejected. Coupled with months of therapy she was even okay with it.

" Not the sharpest pencil huh? " She shot back at the cop.

" Ms. Go please." The cop blushed a bit and focused more on his driving.

" You're still angry aren't you? I mean about 'the better than thou' types. " Shego inquired. The cop tilted his head and shrugged in resignation.

" You of all people should know. "

" Stop here. " Shego said pointing. She rifled through the glove box ignoring the opposition from the officer. " Here, " Shego handed him a card she had just written on " I know it's weird but he's done a lot for me. " It made her feel a little weird. The cop read the card. " He's a ther... counselor. For fucked up people. " Shego explained. The officer slowly nodded in acknowledgement. " Thanks officer ..." She glanced at his tag " Pepper."

" Please call me Charlie." They shook hands and Shego took off.

* * *

><p>After feeding Rufus, Shego gave her apartment a once over. The prior mess had been cleaned and all but forgotten. As she thought about what to do next a startling realization came to her. Sleep had been easier lately. Which meant Ron had been as quiet as a mouse fart. ' He's a big boy, I'm sure he's fine. ' In fact the more she thought about it the more it made sense. Although distance had never really messed with the 'connection', being half way around the world might change that. After a few minutes Shego's curiosity got the best of her and within a minute she was calling Wade. The dark skinned teenager's face popped into view. He didn't seem surprised at her call.<p>

" Any luck with Kim? " Shego was trying to refrain from using the other pet name ,Kimmie, which in her opinion was a sign of aggression. ' It's better than 'Stupid Bitch'. '

" Yeah, well kinda. " Wade pushed his finger against his chin in thought. " She's taking a vacation. " He said frankly.

" Whoa wait. What kinda crap is that? " The news didn't sit well with Shego.

" Hold on! " Wade had his hands up. " That wasn't exactly the situation. The truth is Kim has kinda gone on hiatus. I don't know what or why exactly, but as she put it 'something vital had come up and she wasn't going to repeat the same mistakes'. I even told her that you were out doing her job!" As Wade talked Shego started to notice the mental exhaustion he exhibited. ' She quit. And from the looks of it Wade fought with her to the bitter end. And ended up with the term hiatus to comfort them both.' Shego thought.

" What did she say to that? You know the whole me doing her job thing. " She asked.

" I don't know, something that didn't make sense." Wade was dismissing the idea but Shego's look brought him back to it. " Something like 'it was bound to happen' or something like that. " Shego rolled her eyes.

" What about the side kick? What does he have to say about this? " Shego applauded herself for flawless delivery.

" Oh I can't get a hold of Ron. He's probably training right now. " Wade suddenly got excited. " That's it! You just need to take over until he gets back! " Shego let out a loud throaty laugh. It cut out when Wade showed a bank statement on the screen.

" What's that? " Shego asked.

" It's your bank account. " Wade said nonchalantly.

" Where did you get that kind money? " Shego was already on her computer pulling up her account.

" Well I'm glad you asked. See it's a simple system of..."

" Forget I asked. " Shego interrupted. Wade looked down disappointed. The Green Skinned Lady lost herself in thought, mulling over her options and her bank account. " Alright you got yourself a deal. "

" Great! I was.." Wade started.

" But only until Kim or Ron get back. " Shego insisted. Wade looked back at her with a curious look on his face.

" Of course! A love triangle! " Shego glared back wide eyed.

" What did you say? " Shego said pestered at Wade.

" It all makes sense! First off there was Ron's road trip gone wrong. Although you hadn't turned bad you two did engage. " Wade blushed " I mean you two fought each other. And yet for some reason you started traveling together. " He looked down lost in thought. " I couldn't figure out why though. But I digress. It was about that time that Kim started getting anxious about Ron. " Shego shook her head, she had to admit he was smart. " Shortly after the two of them started acting strangely. Kim was like a phony happy and Ron just wasn't there at all. " A small part of Shego rejoiced. " Now back to you, " Wade pointed at Shego " Kim was making this latest encounter more than personal. In fact upon hearing your name she blocked out everything else. " Wade paused trying to deduce something. " And so you two fought, and something happened to make her lose it. And that's why she left! "

" Congratulations, you figured out it was Shego in the library with her mitts. " Shego was trying not to act impressed. " So when did you catch on genius? " Wade straightened up in his seat.

" Well it was two things, " He held up two fingers for emphasis " the first is that when I asked for your help to find Kim, you didn't ask about him. Obviously you were trying to avoid the subject of Ron. And secondly you kept referring to him as 'the side kick'. But of course that was all a ruse cause just a second ago you slipped up and called him by his name. Not to mention you're not a very good actress. " Wade sat back putting his hands behind his head, he put on a look of triumph.

" Lemme guess, you still put on your pants one leg at a time? " Shego quipped. Wade leaned forward so that his face covered the monitor.

" I'm not wearing any. " He said this with a raised eyebrow. Shego didn't know how to respond. It was Wade's laughter that broke the silence. Shego ,not being able to help herself, joined in lightly. They joked a little bit more and held a conversation for another five minutes. The sensation was new to both of them. Shego wasn't used to relating to people or even trying for that matter. Wade had his own group that he would talk to but through the communicator the conversations were about business. Unnoticed between the two of them was a developing bond of friendship.

" Alright kiddo, why don't you go put on your pajamas of plus one damage and get some sleep. Or at least let me go. " Shego teased. Wade's eyes widened.

" You play Lairs and Demons! "

" No, but I grew up with nerdy brothers so I know of it. Just like I know that you have a high saving throw against angry women. So goodnight. " Wade chuckled at Shego's lame little joke.

" Alright good night, and Shego? " He made sure she could see the sincerety on his face " thanks. " Shego was a bit taken back.

" Yeah yeah. Just make sure the money keeps coming." She was going to turn it off to prevent further embarrassment but she wasn't sure how. So Shego just tossed it onto her bed.

* * *

><p>One quick shower later Shego was snuggled in bed, Rufus laying on her head. It annoyed her a little that he chose to sleep in the nude. This was due to the fact that he rested his little mole balls on her head. Shego thought about bringing it up again, but every time they argued Rufus would always win. ' What are you up to Ron? ' Shego thought to herself. She had got so caught up in her conversation with Wade she forgot about asking what she called to ask. ' Is that a good thing or bad thing? ' Even though she had rat genitalia resting upon her dome Shego felt alone. ' Ron... I miss you. ' It was the fist time she had admitted it to herself. Sleep came shortly there after.<p>

The sunlight cascaded across the living room floor of Shego's apartment. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the apartment as the coffee maker went to work. Shego and Rufus were in the bathroom going through the morning ritual. As she brushed her teeth, Shego watched the half naked mole rat with interest. ' Why doesn't anybody question his intelligence? I mean surely somewhere along the line somebody has had to stop and say something. ' She thought.

" Hey Rufus? " Shego waited for the mole rat's attention. " You ever thought about a fast paced career as a lab rat? " Rufus looked a little annoyed but beyond that ignored her, spitting in the sink. Shego laughed and drooled a bit of toothpaste out of her mouth. It was classic 'Odd Couple' between the two. Shego was a morning person, while Rufus was not. However the two did enjoy coffee, and after the daily brushing the two convened onto the coffee pot. Shego poured Rufus his and then hers. After adding the sugar and cream they both phased out to focus on that first sip in the morning. Rufus had not particularly enjoyed the classic American beverage when he first started living here. But time changes all things and Rufus was no exception.

One thing Shego was particularly proud of was how well she took care of the reformed nudist. Of course she started doing so on behalf of Ron. But a bond soon formed and before Shego noticed the two had fallen into deep friendship.

" If you were human you would make the perfect boyfriend. " Shego said to Rufus between sips. The rat made a weak sounding catcall not looking up from his coffee. " You don't really talk, you pay attention to me, and do things without me having to ask. " Shego listed while reflecting on the past few months. " Hell I wouldn't even mind having your junk on my head every night. " Rufus spit some coffee out his nose. Shego started laughing. The communicator on the counter went off and for the first time Shego didn't hesitate to answer it.

" Good morning Wade. Wh.. whoa what happened to you? " Shego looked the boy over. He clearly hadn't gone through any morning motions yet, with bad pillow hair and a pale look to his face.

" Hey Shego. " Wade stopped to rub his eyes. " I just woke up. " Stretching his eyes out he then squinted at the screen. " I never figured you for a morning person. "

" Well what can I say I have many talents. " Shego gave a shrug with her palms up. The action had too much energy in it for Wade's taste. " So why the call? Is it a job? " Wade slapped at his keyboard much like a zombie would. Somehow the computer still did what he wanted it to.

" It's Senior Senior Senior and his boy Senior ..." Shego held up her hand.

" Yeah I get it. When do I leave? "

" There's a chopper on the roof waiting. " The boy yawned. Shego looked impressed.

" Look at the big brain on Wade. Alright we'll be on our way soon. " Shego set the communicator on the counter still not shutting it off.

" What do you mean we? Is Ron back? " Wade seemed to wake up a little bit. Shego rolled her eyes.

" First off, Ron and I aren't like that. Second off I was talking about Rufus. " The communicator was still on the counter so Wade could only hear her. He let whatever questions he had pass and ended the transmission. Shego slammed her drink back like it was whiskey and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her sleeping shirt. " Alright little buddy, let's go. " Rufus dragged his feet behind her.

* * *

><p>" I thought you knew? Kimmie has zero bowel control. Some side effect from these diet pills she was taking a while back. " Shego waved one last time and shut the door to the chopper. As the duo made there way across the island Shego couldn't help but notice the beauty of it all. " Why would a man with everything turn to villiany? " Shego asked Rufus. To her surprise the little rat responded.<p>

" Ron." He squeeked. Shego looked at him curiously.

" What, Ron told him he should be a bad guy? " Shego joked. To her surprise Rufus nodded his head. " I swear that boy. " Shego chuckled. The two eventually reached the gate, a lone guard stepped out to great them.

" Hello Ma'm. Can I hel... Oh Shego! Hey come on in. How have you been? " Nathan asked. The man was a member of the henchmen's union and had on more than one occasion been in Drakken's employ. He also happened to be one of the few henchmen that Shego liked. With a good head on his shoulders and a strong sense of loyalty to the cause.

" Wait, just like that? You know I'm working for the good guys right? " Shego said incapable of referring to herself as a 'good guy'.

" Come on, you think I wanted to work with these jokers? " Nathan said jerking his thumb behind him. " The sooner I get laid off the better. Granted with the old man's bottomless pockets I might be doing gate duty for a while.

" Why don't you just quit? " Shego asked while she rested an arm on the gate border.

" Well work has kinda slowed down. Although I hear there is this big job starting out west. Some new cat with big plans. " Nathan said while scribbling out the guest log entry he had started. " And me stop you? Come on you're like a legend in our ranks. "

" Well I wasn't the one signing the paychecks Nate. "

" Yeah but you were there with us, " He smacked his hands for emphasis, " on the front lines. Anyway you should get going before the goon squad notices. This place has a two gate policy. " Shego shook his hand and took her leave.

Of course the first place to check was the pool. When Shego had her short stay with the Seniors that was the go to spot. Upon arriving on scene she saw Junior in his usual tanning spot. This time he had a friend. The guards around the pool took little notice of her. Probably due to the fact that no general alarm had been given.

" Hey Junior. " The young man jumped up at the sound of her voice. He pulled down his glasses and looked at Shego.

" Ah if it's not my dear friend and former mentor. I've heard some things about you. " Junior said as he laid back down.

" Yeah well you know those tabloids, they love to make things up. " Shego smirked at him.

" They say, " Jr. grabbed his drink off a tray and took a sip, " that you stopped a bank robbery. They say that you were driven home by the police. And before that they say that you were hanging out with Kim Possible's side kick. " He let his glasses slide down his nose so he could make eye contact. " Is this true? "

" Yes yes and no. Listen I don't really have time for this, can I get that thingy you stole? " Shego tapped her foot in exaggerated impatience. Jr. scoffed and clapped his hands. Several large men and the guards that were already there started moving towards Shego. With a mock yawn Shego just stood there. Rufus however ducked out of her pocket and found cover.

" Listen guys, you know who I am. And you know what I can do. I'm not an obnoxious teenager who'll stop when you cry uncle. So the real question is what's your deductible on emergency room visits? " The guards all stopped. One by one they backed down, and lined up in front of Jr. Each guard took a turn to drop his badge on the table and then excused himself.

" Just give her what she wants sweetie. " Jr.'s guest complained as she rolled over to switch sides. Jr. bolted upright in protest.

" But dearest I can't just give in to her requests, that's not the villianous thing to do. " Jr. said with an extended index finger.

" Listen to your girlfriend Jr., or I can just kick your fucking teeth in. " Shego plainly stated. The couple stared back at her in shock.

" But of course! After all anything for a good friend. " Jr. clapped once and a butler appeared out of no where. " Please go get that Abdomitrix for our guest here. " The butler nodded and headed off. Shego looked around and another thought dawned on her.

" I'm gonna need a helicopter too. You still have all those black ones? "

" I think not young lady. " Shego turned to see Senior Senior Senior walking up to her.

" Old man! You're looking as half dead as usual. " Shego said. Senior smiled back.

" My dear, you were one of the best. What ever could have happened to convince you to pick up such intolerable work? " Senior said the last part with a look of disgust. Shego smiled. She always had a soft spot for the old man.

" What can I say? I got tired of failure. " Shego said.

" Whatever the case, it's a shame. Especially when..." He let the sentence trail off. " Give that to her. " Sr. motioned to the butler. With the gizmo in hand Shego looked at Sr. curiously.

" What gives? " She eyed him suspiciously. Sr. let out a low chuckle.

" In a few months I can just take it back. It really is a shame. After all you can't fail all the time. " A serious look crossed Sr.'s eyes. Shego looked back trying to read him but Senior's poker face was impenetrable. For some reason his serious tenor worried her.

" What do you have up your sleeve Senior? " Shego asked. The old man looked down like he was embarassed.

" I'm sorry, it's just the ramblings of an old man. " Sr. said. Shego put her hand behind her back and signaled Rufus.

" Hey you mind if I get something to drink before I go. It's hot out here. " Shego fanned herself with her hand. While locking her in a gaze, Sr. nodded slowly and then waved at the butler. Nobody noticed the mole rat sneaking off and into the compound.

Shego played with the instruments of the helicopter like she wasn't sure what she was doing. The escort just stood eyeing her wearily. She kept playing dumb until Rufus made his appearance on the roof top.

" Hey do you know what this thingy does? " Shego said pointing at a button. The large escort leaned over to look at the panel. It was then that Rufus made his silent approach and sneaked into the chopper. " Don't worry about it, I'm sure I'll figure it out. " Shego said giving the man a light nudge on the shoulder.

After the two had flown safely into the air and started their return trip Shego addressed Rufus. " So what did you get for mama? " Rufus responded by pulling a piece of folded paper out of his back pocket. Shego scanned the document then put it back down. " Get Wade on the line. " She kept her gaze on the sky lost in thought.

" Oh hey Shego. How did it go? " Wade said looking up from his screen. Shego grabbed the communicator from Rufus and put it at eye level.

" Everything went fine. You know how Sr. and the boy are. Listen I did some digging around " Rufus made an exaggerated coughing sound, " Rufus and I did some digging around. " Shego made a face at the reformed nudist. " The word is that Senior is involved with some new guy. " Shego looked at Wade expectantly. He responded with looking upwards and scratching the back of his neck.

" Well if you get me a little more info I might be able to find something. I've gone over Sr.'s accounts before and there's too much on there to easily narrow anything down. " Wade said. Shego smiled back like a cat that just ate the canary. " I take it you got something? "

" Well ," Shego eyed the mole rat, " Rufus here did. The name 'Ocean Side Arcade' mean anything? " No sooner had Shego said it Wade started reading off information.

" Small arcade located on the pier. Family owned and operated till about nine months ago. New owner is...ha figures. " Shego waited for Wade to continue. " It's a dummy corporation that bought it. "

" Which means? " Shego asked.

" Which means that it's a company that's a subsidiary of another fake business and so on and so on. Usually used for money laundering. Let me go over the numbers I'll get back to you. " Wade nodded and ended the transmission.

Shego sat back and looked at her tiny friend. " Well buddy mission accomplished. " She said with a warm smile. Rufus gave her a thumbs up, and laid himself back. There is no other satisfaction like getting something accomplished. But Shego didn't expect it to be this rewarding, this side on the train tracks and all. ' Maybe I'm not as bad as I thought. ' She thought while reflecting on her old way of thinking. She used to think that she got so much fulfillment out of what she did due to the fact that it was wrong. But in the end it really didn't matter. There was still an opponent and still a common goal that the side you were on shared. For the first time in a long time Shego started to feel like she fit in. Wade had come to accept her, she had a best friend; albeit a small rodent. And what was more was that Shego had a serious love interest, as implausible as their pairing was. She had finally rounded the corner on this long trip from bad guy to good guy. And though Shego would probably never admit that she was a 'good guy', she would never hide her intentions.

While thoughts of retirement occasionally danced around her head, Shego couldn't give in. It wasn't just the redemption aspect of it all. It was the adventure, excitement. She once watched a show about thrill seekers and one such man was quoted as saying " Once you let go, you can't turn back. " That was ,in Shego's mind, the best way to put her situation.

She had fought uphill and back in the most dire of circumstances. If anything she fought a losing battle which consumed years of her life. But when the 'fight' came to mind she was never sure what it was she was fighting for. ' Money...' The concept didn't sit all to well with her. Besides she had done work for Drakken with out pay at times. It wasn't this question that made her go good, but it was one that nagged at her day in and day out. Even working for the 'good guys' she asked herself this. As to why Shego made the switch in the first place. That was more simple than some might think. It was because the opportunity presented itself. All her fears and doubts were wrapped in a tight cure-all package. Something happening to Drew should Shego leave. Getting a chance to quit when she wanted to. ' Can't fight forever.' Combine that with the 'get out of jail free card' it was all too much to pass up.

Shortly after the conversion wasn't difficult either. Sadly it was tedious. Drew had his goals on getting respect in the scientific community. And with his new 'plant powers' ,which faded away, he had a great chance to do just that. Even Shego had to admit that Dr. D had accelerated agriculture technology ahead of it's time. Throw in the bizarre relationship that the two had started and anyone could see they were due to split ways. Drakken had started to grow , so Shego took it upon herself to do some growing of her own. She thought back to those nights with him she had endured. The fact that she considered it enduring was enough in itself. Still leaving was very difficult for her. She knew that she could bully her way back to the side kick position. Force the relationship back into a platonic nature. But they would both know what had been. And at the very least it would haunt them. Time heals all wounds but sometimes leaves an ugly scar. The best way to keep that 'scar' from happening ,in Shego's opinion, was to be out of sight out of mind. From her last visit, however, Drakken had clearly not moved on, even in the slightest amount.

Shego looked down at the controls of the helicopter. All the little knobs and dials were familiar to her. ' If only it was all this easy. ' Shego thought running her hands across the panel. All she had to do was press a button or move the stick and get the results she desired. If something broke, it was visibly fixable or replaceable. Then again those intricate complications that made Drakken so difficult also made Ron so great.

The communicator went off pulling Shego out of her deep thought. She pulled it out from under a sleeping Rufus and turned it on. Wade's face didn't seem too pleased.

" I did some digging, it doesn't look very good. " The young man stated plainly.

" Well what's up? " Shego said with mild impatience.

" There are billions of dollars being funneled through that account. And it's not just Senior's money. As far as I can tell you've got at least ten or more players involved. " Wade paused and took a drink. " Though to be honest I'm not sure of some of these contributors. Heartless tycoons yes but other than that none of them have a record. "

" Wait. You're saying this goes beyond the usual suspects? " Shego hadn't thought of that.

" Well yes, and there's more. From what I figure there are at least four other fake business registered on that pier. That means if the numbers stay the same you'll have over forty benefactors. " Wade started typing away. Shego thought for a second.

" Then lets cut the head off the snake shall we. " Shego suggested.

" I wouldn't be so hasty. Please I know your style " Shego rolled her eyes," but you should consider a recon mission first. " Wade gave a sad sort of look, as if he was afraid of his idea being rejected. Shego relented.

" Okay we can do recon, tomorrow. " Shego said. Wade began to protest but she held a finger up to her lips. " Calm down there skippy, Senior mentioned a few months. " Another thought dawned on Shego. " Hey Wade, you ever get the idea that Senior isn't really evil?" Wade typed into his computer.

" His rating is pretty high Shego. " Wade said scanning his computer screen. Shego rolled her eyes.

" You've got to be kidding. A rating system Wade? " Shego gave a mocking smirk. " Well I know Senior and he isn't really evil at all. He just likes to play the game. I think he may have been warning us. The real question is.."

" What would scare Senior to not only warn us but also prevent him from backing out of a deal. " Wade interrupted. Shego glared back at him. " Sorry, I get too excited sometimes. " Wade said sheepishly.

" Alright, we go in tomorrow. " Shego said feeling the days activities catching up to her. It wasn't the physical exertion, limited as it was. It was her mind processing and taking it all in.

" Uh Shego? "

" Yeah. " She replied with a tired expression.

" Where did you get that helicopter? " Wade gave a concerned look.

" It was back pay, for services rendered. " Shego smirked back. " Do me a favor and call ahead so I have air clearance. " Wade looked like something was bothering him but he didn't share it. Instead the young man just nodded.

" Thank you Wade. Tomorrow. " And the transmission ended. Shego let out a long sigh. Alone with her thoughts she still had a while before she got home.

* * *

><p>Shego stalked the roof tops in silence, clambering from one to the next in a timely manner. As she approached the last one before a drop below she stopped to check the time. ' I've got about an hour before sunrise. ' Shego thought to herself while scanning for a route. The pier was separated from her rooftop by a hundred yards or so of parking lot. Which at this time was void of all vehicles. ' Guess I'll risk it. ' And with that thought Shego jumped down the two story building grabbing a light pole on her way down. She swung around once, twice, and timed her release so that she would be launched over the fence and into the parking lot. With an almost silent landing, Shego continued her drive with a quick fifty yard sprint, diving into some bushes in a planter. She didn't move after that for a few minutes, instead she listened. The dead of dawn on the beachfront was all that greeted her. Shego bolted with all her might past the remaining parking lot. With out missing a beat she took two steps up the dividing wooden post and launched herself into the air. ' Shit I'm not gonna...' Shego relaxed when she caught the light post with her right hand. Although a fall from this height probably wouldn't hurt her, it was easy to forget that even a six foot fall without preparation could be hazardous. She grabbed on with her other hand and swung herself up until she could plant her feet on the pole. Still crouching on the lamp post Shego surveyed the area again. Her intended target was lit up from the inside, although it's neon sign was shut off. The place wasn't what Shego had expected, being a small shack that looked like the first strong wind would knock it over. She fell backwards, kicking her legs out as she did so. While still holding onto the pole she swung forward and landed on the pier itself in the shadows. She had to admit that the joy of sneaking and flying through the air was only second to fighting. ' Wait where does sex go? ' Shego quickly snapped out of her thought and continued to sneak in the shadows. She was about ten feet out when she stopped and pulled out her camera that Wade had delivered to her. After several pictures, Shego crept in for a closer look. As stealthy as she was, the wooden pier was unforgiving and all Shego could do was time the creaking with the breaking waves. She was all too glad to be underneath the window frame, no longer required to navigate the noisy deck. Slowly Shego peeked into the window, she was not prepared for what she saw.<p>

Kim checked her phone and saw the time. It surprised her to see it was early in the morning. With a yawn she put the phone away and watched Tim contently. The somber mood was soon broken as the front door opened abruptly. An enraged Shego strutted in.

Maybe it was all some kind of illusion, for as far as Shego could tell it was too weird. Kim sat quietly on a prop sailor's barrel. A plate of half eaten nachos sat in her lap. And her gaze was focused on a young man playing a video game. ' It's like four fucking thirty!' " Where hav..."

" What are 'you' doing here? " Kim interrupted Shego mid sentence.

" What am I..."

" Is this a friend of yours? " The young man had stopped playing and interrupted Shego mid sentence. Grinding her teeth she glared at the two of them.

" You , " she pointed at the young man " Shut it! You " Shego pointed at Kim " Where have you been? " Kim crossed her arms and looked away defiantly.

" That's none of your 'damn' business. " Kim replied hotly. Shego was about to yell back but a years worth of personal growth stopped her. She was here, the bad guy's house. Yet all she found was Kim Possible and some guy playing a game. Something was up.

" Kim, something happened to Wade, I think we should talk. " Shego motioned to follow her outside. Kim was taken back by Shego's sudden demeanor.

" I'll be right back. " Kim said to Tim. She quickly followed Shego out the door. However she had gone no more than a few steps until a firm grasp enveloped her arm and pulled her up. Shego deftly pulled Kim onto the roof, making a 'be silent' motion as she did so.

" There's something you need to know about this place Kim. " Shego whispered. She felt a little out of place collaberating with her long time foe, but she had done it before. Kim apparently was more uncomfortable with the thought.

" What are you talking about? Is Wade okay? " Kim eyed Shego suspiciously.

" Well yeah he is, I just needed to get you out of there. " Shego confessed. Kim scowled back.

" That's low even for you. You need to get out of here. " Kim started to ready herself for the jump down. Shego's firm grasp stopped her.

" No, 'we' need to get out of here. There's something wrong here. " Kim wasn't listening. " Look, Wade can explain it all to you. " Shego held out the communicator for Kim. Kim in turn looked at it, and reached out for it. As if a last minute thought she changed her reaching motion into a pushing motion and gently pushed the communicator and Shego's hand away.

" You wanted my life, it's yours. I'm starting over. " Kim said the last part with her gaze settling on a departure route. Again Shego's firm grasp came over Kim.

" I never wanted your life or anything like that. " Shego was getting desperate, she didn't like losing control of a situation. " Kim, I'm sorry about everything that happened and I'm sorry that the 'real world' isn't what you expected. But no matter how much I've always hated you, I've always respected you due to the fact that you don't give up. " Shego looked down not wanting Kim to make eye contact. Neither one spoke for a minute.

" It's not giving up if no one wants me around." Kim said to Shego's surprise." Ron was right, he doesn't need me to save the world. If anything I was holding him back. " Kim looked out at the moon lit sea as she spoke.

" Kimmie, you made Ron the man he is today. " Shego softened vocally and mentally towards her nemesis. In turn Kim stiffened up.

" That's the problem. I forced him to grow up before he was ready. It was only natural that he would find comfort in the arms of some reckless whore. " Kim locked eyes with Shego. The words stung but not as much as Shego thought they would. The fact that Kim thought of Shego as competition with Ron's affections was an honor in some bizarre fashion.

" So what now? You got yourself a new project down there? " Shego said pointing at the roof. " Kim this isn't helping you, if anything it's insane. I know you haven't been talking to anyone. I know you haven't been going to class or saving the world. " Shego motioned at the communicator. " You're throwing that all away okay that's fine, yeah. But what about Ron? " Kim moved away to the edge.

" You don't get it. He doesn't want me. " And with that, Kim jumped down and went back inside the arcade. Shego just sat there with the early morning winds whipping at her hair. Kim's words had left an impact. Shego was so stunned, that she abruptly gave up the mission. Dropping all pretenses of stealth she jumped off the backside of the roof and walked boldly through the parking lot. It was about a block away when Shego's thoughts started to organize. Despite what Kim had said, it wasn't what Shego had heard.

" You don't get it. He wants you. " Was all that she had heard.

* * *

><p>Author's note* I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed typing it up. Ever since I first witnessed Shego's character I saw unlimited potential which was caged by censor ship and time restrictions. If anyone felt it was a little over the top I apologize. As usual this is dedicated to the many authors of this site. Thanks for the reading material. And once again a hearty thanks to Joe Stoppinghem, if you haven't read any of his work you should give it a once over.<p> 


	5. Part V The Return

Part V

Wade had received a confusing report from Shego that afternoon. It had pictures and a detailed account of what transpired but none of it really added up to him. Out of fear that there was something they missed, Wade called in several favors and had the entire funding operation shut down. After a lengthy conversation on the topic, both Shego and Wade agreed to keep an eye out but in the mean time to move on. He had done his usual thermal scanning and even sent in a sentry bot, which was limited but capable. Everything seemed as Shego had described it and besides the money laundering nothing was out of place.

One new thing had developed, at least Shego noticed. Wade was not as friendly with her, rather he was all business. After serious consideration, Shego had narrowed it down to parental separation anxiety. ' Or whatever they call it. ' She would always add in her thoughts. She had deduced that Ron and Kim were one of those 'solid couples' that people base their concept of love off of. And naturally the concept that two people just grew apart wasn't acceptable to an inexperienced mind like Wade's. Instead it had to be an outside force. And for what Shego could tell, Wade saw her as that outside force.

In fact it took Shego and Wade several months to become more than just coworkers again. Resuming the friendship like nothing had happened. Time had flown by and things were starting to change. After another couple months and a dozen or more missions the tabloids even stopped printing negative things about her. Well mostly stopped anyway.

Shego herself however didn't really notice any change. She was still the same person she always had been. Except now she had a little patience, and a little acceptance. The rest just fell into place. Shego was as half sarcastic as she was before. After all it was her greatest defense mechanism. The same went for her anger; her secondary defense mechanism. Although Shego knew it wasn't just her. With the work she had been doing she didn't feel the need to be so defensive. Add to that the fact that she was happy with herself and didn't care too much about what everyone else thought anymore. After seeing the many benefits that this life style provided, Shego couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't made this choice before.

Although not all was good. She constantly had two different nagging feelings. First off, Shego knew that her and Kim Possible would meet again some day. And Shego didn't know how that would play out. Secondly, her connection with Ron grew fainter by the day. Although her cyan powers burned just as bright, his absence from her mind had made her feel lonely.

It was now six months to do the day that Shego had started working for Wade. Although he insisted that she was Team Possible's newest agent. That didn't work for Shego, and Wade's suggestion of changing the site to 'Kigo Inc' didn't sit well either.

" That sounds like Kim and I are a couple! Like Brangelina, or something stupid like that. " Shego said annoyed at Wade. It was early morning in her apartment. She sat at her table facing the monitor that Wade had sent her. It had taken Shego a while, but she had made a morning person out of him.

" Hey I'm just trying to give credit where it's due. Beside how could you be 'my' agent? " Wade had grown a lot over the past six months and ,due to Shego's hazing, began to work out a bit. Although still a bit on the heavy side, the young man looked fit and capable enough. Wade was certain Shego had used reverse psychology to motivate him. Shego was certain she was having fun at his expense.

" You sign the checks Mr. Load. " Shego said while sewing together a tiny black jacket.

" You don't get chec..."

" You know what I mean. " Shego stopped sewing to look at Wade. He had taken a lot of deliberation in this decision and clearly it was more important to him than it was to her. " Why don't you come up with a new site, with a new name, and list Kim Possible and myself as agents for hire. That way everybody is happy. " She went back to sewing.

" Is that for Rufus? " Wade asked while pointing at the tiny jacket. Shego held it up proudly.

" Yes it is. What do you think? " Shego gave Wade a serious look. Wade wasn't sure what to say.

" I think...you're getting soft. " Wade said before he started to laugh. Shego glared at him and then at a stack of papers on his desk. They gently erupted into a small blue flame. Without any indication of being surprised, Wade patted the flames out with a thick wool blanket he kept for such occasions. It was yet another side effect of the 'bond' that Shego and Ron shared. Although it wasn't very powerful, She could now emit her power onto other objects. The only catch was it had to be in her line of sight. The first time Wade's desk had caught on fire it was quite a shock to both of them. But by now he was used to it and left a blank pile of papers on his desk for just that occasion.

" Actually, " Wade paused to look at Shego, " I was gonna take Kim's name off the site." He studied Shego to gauge her response. It was inevitable that this would come up. Kim had dropped off the face of the earth since her and Shego's last encounter. Aside from knowing that Kim was going to be okay, Wade hadn't heard from her. Of course he did take notice that the last place she had been seen was a place of suspect. But there was no where near enough information for Wade to construct a plausible hypothesis. The decision had been brought up in a lighter manner before, but had been pushed off for either Kim or Ron to decide. But Wade had come to the conclusion that Ron was gone too. His communicator had been shut off for over several months now. It was only at Shego's insistence that he was okay that Wade didn't fret about it. Of course Wade had always known this would happen one day, he just didn't know it would come so soon. The biggest hurdle that Wade could think of, would be to get Shego to sign on for a long term deal. She had always labeled her stay as temporary or as just a stand in. But the reality of the situation was dawning on both of them. And sadly there was too much out there to threaten the world; neither one could give up.

" What about those new recruits? " Shego had focused three fold on the little jacket.

" Well I've found some candidates, but we both know that they're just for recon and small jobs. In fact when I look back at the things Kim and Ron were doing I shudder. " Wade tilted his head and eyed his desk, lost in thought. A grimace had set upon his face. " Look I can double your pay, if that's what it takes. " Shego ignored him, intent on the jacket.

" I want to move somewhere else, somewhere away from all this." Shego waved her hand at the apartment. " And I don't even need pay anymore. " Shego sighed as if she was giving up something she had been holding to herself. " The truth is Wade, " Shego paused, after all she had to let him squirm a bit, " I kinda like this thing we got going. I just ask that you take care of our living expenses. We need more toys too. Rufus needs his motorcycle fixed. " Wade rolled his eyes. Even Ron had not been this pushy about Rufus getting his own stuff.

" Alright we can work out the details later. " Wade let a sigh out . " It's good to really have you on board. For a minute there I was thinking.." Wade trailed off.

" That 'you' were going to do some field work? " Shego pulled her head back in laughter. "Oh Shit! " Shego fell back in her seat. However the fall didn't stop her laughter and it continued to ring out over the communicator.

" I'll have you set up with 'the move' in a couple days. Please be ready. " Wade said with a straight, unamused face. The transmission ended with Shego still laughing.

* * *

><p>A steady rhythm pulsed through them. It was a beat that had gone on since the dawn of time. Though time was of no consequence here, for all they cared about was the beating. There was nothing else in their world, no light, or temperature. Just the beating, their focal point. Bump bump. Bump bump. Suddenly they felt something new, an invader. A part of them was being taken! But the pull of the rhythm was too strong, and without so much as a forethought they had lost a part of themselves.<p>

Ron Stoppable was yanked out of the ocean and onto the beach. Belligerently he struggled to go back. His cries came out as unintelligent pleas as he tried pushing his kidnappers off. With his mind ablaze, all Ron could think about was the beating. He needed it, ' Why are they stopping me? ' Ron thought his first individual thought in months. ' What is going on? ' He stopped lashing to look around. Above him with a firm grasp on each arm stood Yori and Ryu. Ron looked down and concentrated so he could speak.

"なぜ " He said. The two ninja exchanged glances and a small smile spread on Yori's face. Ron however was not amused and resumed his prior fit and continued to make his way for the ocean. It was a chain this time that stopped him, clasped firmly around his ankle. Ron clawed at the chain in vain, screaming as he did so. Yori looked taken back as his words started to come out coherently. His hands were covered in blood within minutes, not caring about the beach sand that poured into his open wounds. Just as abruptly as he had started, Ron stopped when a soft hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up trying to make out the owner of said hand.

" Sen...Sensei? " As he spoke a flood of memories came over Ron. He shut his eyes as tight as possible as his mind processed the memories faster than it should.

" You have passed the last test Stoppable Son. " Sensei said as he looked down piteously at his student. " I'm sorry. " It didn't matter to Ron that his memories had come back, because his memory of 'the beating' was still there. Only with a sense of obligation did he stay sitting where he was, a longing look in his eyes as he looked out at the ocean. Slowly, tears formed in Ron's eyes as the crashing of the waves sounded off all around them. Within minutes he was sobbing, keeping his head hung down.

Sensei unlocked the chain around his ankle, and motioned for his other students to go home. He then turned back to his star pupil and waited patiently.

* * *

><p>It was night time before Ron had moved. Slowly, he pulled himself up and ,while dragging his feet, walked over to Sensei's camp fire. As inviting as the heat was, Ron was still torn. Sensei offered him some water and without thinking about it Ron gulped it down.<p>

" Nothing in this universe was ment to go through what you just have. And for that I'm truly sorry. " Sensei said while offering Ron a plate of fish. " But one day, you will go back. " Ron started to nibble at the fish as he focused on the fire.

" How long, " words were coming easier, " was I down there? " Just mentioning it tore Ron's heart apart. Sensei stirred the fire gently with a stick.

" Sixty-two days. " Sensei responded.

" Did you have to... do that? " Ron said nodding towards the ocean. ' So close, just a few steps. ' He continued thinking.

" No. " The old man said firmly. " But there was a man , long before I was master, who took the test. " Sensei continued to stir the fire, lost in thought. " His name was Master Inchuzo. " The crackle of the fire flowed through the cool night air. For the first time since he had come back, Ron thought about something other than the ' beating'.

" What happened? " He inquired looking at Sensei.

" He came back much as you did, except he never recovered. Inchuzo slipped into the darkness. " Sensei's words were laced with pain.

" You were there? " Ron asked while he started to eat more heartily. Sensei merely nodded. Inshuzo's screams and cries often haunted him. Which is why Sensei was so hesitant to let Ron take the test to begin with. But as soon as he brought it up Ron wouldn't let it go.

_' Come on Sensei! What can't Stoppable Son handle? ' _Sensei grimaced as he thought of Ron's words. It was rare for the for the old man to show emotion, but all this business was too close to home. Of course from the occasional glance the old man didn't look any different. But Ron could tell, he knew that Sensei had been afraid. It surprised him that he hadn't noticed before the test.

" I hurt Sensei... but I'll be okay. " Ron said finishing his fish. Sensei visibly relaxed, at least visibly to Ron. Sensei extended his arm and put a hand on Ron's shoulder for the second time. The resounding calm echoed through Ron's body, this time the feeling came with a sense of probing. He recognized the technique instantly, it was the same one that he had toyed with so many months ago. Ron stayed calm during the search, and up until the old man removed his hand. Sensei smiled at Ron, a genuinely bright smile.

After another hour or so the pain from leaving hurt a little bit less. Ron was now capable of focusing for more than a minute. And that's what he did; on his time at the school in particular. It was more of the same when Ron had first arrived. Waking at four and then onto martial arts training, later on meditation exercises. Only this time Ron had excelled at it all, quickly becoming the top ranked student. Due to his 'American Style' sense of humor his popularity did not fair so well. But after several months of going through the motions Ron started to feel restless. Of course Sensei noticed this and it was about that time that he approached Ron with the test. As usual, Sensei explained it simply. Ron would have to rejoin the earth , he had no clue what that ment, and would have to do so for an extended period of time. It was extremely dangerous and chances were that Ron would not come back. At the time he didn't know 'not come back' was ninja talk for turn clinically insane. What also had surprised him was where the test was conducted. At the bottom of the ocean, with a chain secured to his leg. Sensei had told Ron that the chain would be connected to a bouy so that he could be easily retrieved. Which confused Ron more, at least it did at the time.

* * *

><p><em>On the day of the test every student had assembled in the school courtyard. Bent down on their knees with their heads bowed. In Ron's eyes it seemed like a funeral procession. However nervous he might have been, he took the long walk with Sensei to the predestined beach front. A small boat was waiting for them, with the ceremonial chain. That chain had haunted Ron's dreams ever since he heard about the test. More so after he accepted. Ron could remember counting the paddle strokes as they embarked out into the sea. Sensei wouldn't allow him to row or even help, it was tradition. The small boat stopped a couple hundred yards out. Ron and Sensei locked eyes as the boat gently rocked with the waves. The sea breeze whipped gently around them, tussling Sensei's beard and Ron's hair as it did so. <em>

_" Once you start, there is no turning back. Ronald Stoppable...are you ready? " Sensei's expression remained like stone. Although now Ron could tell that the elderly man was scared. What Ron did know at that time was so was he. Rather Ron was terrified. Not wanting his voice to betray him, he simply nodded back. The loud clanking sound of the chain being strapped to his anger proved to much for his body and it started to betray him. Ron started to visibly shake with fear. Sensei went out to comfort him but he pulled back. Instead Ron stood up and nodded again, his breathing increasing to a heaving. " Go and become one with the world, __**this**__ is the greatest honor of the Yamanouchi school. " Ron started to cry silently, his body riddled with tremors. Sensei suddenly jumped up and grabbed the young man by the shoulders and locked eyes with him. " Dieing is the easy part. Come back to us Stoppable Son! " Sensei let the startled boy go. By now Ron's fear of backing out was far greater than his fear of not coming back, and so he closed his eyes and fell back into the water. Ron could hear the chain as it snaked along the side of the boat, following him into the abyss. _

_The decent itself didn't take very long, they seemed to be in a rather shallow part of the ocean. So quicker than expected Ron found himself resting at the bottom of the sea. To his surprise his body stayed against the floor, it felt as if his prior urge to go to the ocean was strengthened ten times over. However the urge was just a momentary distraction, a minute of comfort. As soon as he had got there Ron wanted to leave. The prior tremors that his body had inhibited now wreaked havoc on him, his lungs didn't get enough air before the trip. Through sheer terror Ron was unable to out swim the 'urge'. Amidst all his struggling and his panic, his feet never left the ocean floor. With his last reserves of air gone Ron's body took over, but instead of oxygen which his body so preciously needed, his lungs were rewarded with salt water. His head started pounding and his vision went blurry, the need for oxygen was too great a concept for Ron to focus on anymore. He stumbled around but soon his body became too much to focus on as well. The violent struggle had ceased as quickly as it had started, Ron fell quietly into the sea bed. All thought and feeling had stopped existing for him as his head came to rest on a small mound of sand. Deep in the corners of his mind, Ron could hear his heart. It drummed along at a slower pace than usual, giving it's last cries for oxygen. If he could have been surprised he would have been, for the drumming hadn't stopped. Instead it took on another beat, a stronger one. If Ron cared he would have noticed that the stronger beat wasn't his, but he didn't care about anything else. Now he was encompassed as one, and there was no Ron. They were happy to be bigger, a little more whole than before. But their thoughts didn't linger on happiness, their thoughts went back to the drumming. And everything was good. _

_A little more than two months later, Yori and Ryu came across the submerged form of Ron Stoppable. All that was visible was the chain coming up from the sand and one of his hands. The rest had been swallowed by the ocean floor._

* * *

><p>Ron looked back out at the sea, his eyes were encompassed with desire and misery. He turned around to shut it out. The old man still stirred the fire needlessly. Ron rested his hand on his master's. Sensei looked up at him, his brow arched in a quizzical expression. Ron simply nodded back and removed his hand. Sensei sat back as well leaving the fire alone for the first time since he had started it. Numerous questions started buzzing around in Ron's head, but none came to mind that he didn't know the answer to. He knew that his body was protected by 'them' while he visited. All his prior fears of being eaten by sharks or his skin and nails shriveling up seemed silly now. His lack of faith was borderline blasphemy. Ron also knew the answer to the question that had been bothering him ever since he was endowed with his new power. ' Why monkeys?' He would often think to himself or cry to anyone who would listen. That was the greatest evolutionary step though. For after monkeys came man, and with man came greed and war. Although humans were capable of just as many great things as they were bad, long had they been disconnected from 'Them'. In fact if it was one thing 'They' didn't know it was people. A never ending list of complications and contradictions.<p>

" It's my job to get us there isn't it? " Ron knew the answer, but asked anyway. If anything for his master's take on the ordeal.

" Stoppable Son, long has the earth been confused of our presence. We are nothing but children, who have existed for a blink of an eye. " Sensei paused as he stroked his beard. " You're victory or defeat will decide whether we go into oblivion or become one again with the earth." Ron stared into the fire, watching it flicker and fit with the night air. It was as he had thought, a proverbial coin toss for which side would get it's way. And it was his unwittingly good nature that he was chosen. Or maybe he was born for this reason. Either way 'They' were undecided, and that was never a good thing.

The next morning Sensei and Ron broke camp to make the long journey home. It was about a mile out that the two crested a hill giving them the last view of the sea. Ron let free a regrettable sigh and trudged onward. Sensei watched him with a sad smile playing on his lips.

It was around noon when they reached the gates of the Yamanouchi school. Ron stepped aside so that his master could enter first. A firm grip on his arm however instructed him forward so both men entered at the same time. The students were lined up like before, on knees and foreheads. Ron and Sensei made their way up to the front steps and turned to address the school.

" Today my students, we welcome Master Stoppable into our school. " Sensei said. A resounding 'welcome' came out in unison. The students had always spoken in japanese for these ceremonies, but it was the first time that Ron understood them. ' Well I suppose that's a little deep.' Ron thought to himself. The ceremony lasted for an hour, Ron bowing and showing respect to every individual present.

After the ceremony Yori and Ryu found Ron in his little room, packing his things. The pair stopped short of entering and gave a bow.

" Master Stoppable, may we have a word? " Yori inquired. Ron put his hands up with a weak grin on his face.

" Relax guys, it's still me. " He motioned for them to enter and continued to pack.

" Master Stoppable, you have yet to make any 'American Style' jokes about my name. Are you sure you're okay? " Ryu spoke this time with mild concern in his voice. Ron stopped packing to look at the young ninja. Ryu had been rather competitive when Ron had arrived. Until one day in particular they had a training exercise. An exercise that Ryu slipped up and nearly killed himself. It was Ron who saved him from his early demise. And since then Ryu had been loyal to a fault.

" I've got things I have to do. But when you're done with your training come look me up. " Ron said with a shrug. A child like delight came over both their faces.

" It would be our honor to train under you Master Stoppable. " Yori said with a bow. The master thing was new. Granted Ron had excelled before his test, even he couldn't deny the feeling that he was now light years ahead of his peers.

" I didn't mean like that, but whatever makes you happy. " Ron zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He looked over his friends again, and with a bow excused himself. ' Was I supposed to initiate the bow? ' Ninja etiquette would always be a mystery to Ron.

* * *

><p>Shego checked her altitude before turning the lights off. She flipped the auto pilot on , Wade had it installed, and began to put on her flight suit. Her mole rat companion started to put on his tiny suit until Shego put her hand up.<p>

" Sorry little buddy, I need you up here. " She said with a stern tenor. It had been a habit between the two about who got to go down and who 'stayed in the truck'. It was decided that if it was recon or retrieval Rufus would do the work. If there was any serious combat to be expected than Shego would go down. Even with this unspoken agreement the two would always bicker before the mission. Rufus ignored her and continued to put on his flight suit. Shego picked the suit off and stuffed it in her pocket. Of course the little rat started to object with a shaking fist but Shego gave him the 'I'm serious face' and all complaints ceased.

" Just hold this altitude, I'll send the signal to come pick me up. " She said as she finished putting on the suit.

" Right. " Rufus replied with a sarcastic tone.

" I won't even come close to hitting the chopper this time, I promise. " Shego said apologetically. She didn't forget how close she had come to blowing up her dearest friend last time. It was one of the many times she had cursed her new abilities. She opened the side door and gave Rufus one last pat on the head and then jumped out into the night air.

Several minutes later Shego was touching down on the remote little island. She let her chute go with the wind and pulled out her communicator. Wade's somber face appeared on the screen, his complexion a little more pale than it should have been.

" You where up all night playing that stupid game again weren't you? " Shego asked with a chuckle. Wade ignored her and started typing away.

" No traps or anything...uh...they're holding the hostages in the Visitor's Center in the middle of the island. And you have a scheduled fueling ...ETA...about three hours. " Wade mumbled with his tired eyes. Shego did some quick math.

" So I have about an hour an a half? " She looked at Wade for confirmation.

" Yeah something like that. " The genius replied waving her off. Shego's eyes narrowed at the tiny screen.

" Keep your head in the game Load, or I might just set you on fire. " She said in her most vicious of acting voices. Wade entered a mock panic while he shook on the screen.

" Maybe you should get your shield of plus one go fuck yourself first. " Wade said with a tight grin. Shego couldn't even get upset, it was rare that the young man said something funny.

" You've been talking to me too much." She said between a light laughing fit. " I'll check with you after I'm done. And try not to let your mother hear you talk like that. " Shego ended the transmission and put away the communicator. After stripping her flight suit and bundling it up, she made her way towards the middle of the island. Shego rejoiced in the feeling of running. And what made it better this time was her new suit. The suit was almost completely black with green stitching. Shego wasn't sure what material it was made out of but she did know that it was quite resistant and yet oh so light. Just another perk of switching sides.

The island was about four hundred miles off the east coast. It was a little resort for super rich people. And now those same super rich people were being held hostage, by none other then the Black Clad Ninja Gang. A constant source of annoyance for Shego. They had first appeared three months ago, attacking and robbing everything that was available. Time and time again Shego had been called in to round them up. But it seemed to her that every one she would put away another three would show up. It had started to get so out of hand that Shego even deliberated more fatal tactics. Of course that didn't work with her new image and all, so she just resorted to more broken bones.

Shego slowed down when the Visitor's Center came into view. Although in heart they were just a bunch of thugs, the Ninja Gang was capable. Going into stealth mode, Shego made her way through the remaining jungle and across the dimly lit field. With a graceful series of movements, she jumped onto a hand rail and then flipped onto the rooftop. Her execution was flawless. With an almost inaudible patter Shego walked along the roof. Finding an access hatch, she pointed her finger and blasted the lock off. Even the blast was quiet, more comparable to a zap. Shego leaped down the hatch way and landed on the floor in a crouched defensive stance. Her scan presented nothing so she rolled over to hug the wall. Shego kept up a simple pattern of crouching and rolling until she found the room she was looking for. It was the main entry way, with some slight modifications. All the lights except the four in the middle had been knocked out. So the darkness that surrounded the group of hostages in the middle was enhanced. The hostages themselves were a group of eight, three men, four women, and one child. Everything about this screamed 'trap' in Shego's eyes. With the hostages in sight she went over her options. As impulsive as ever, the thought to just spring the trap won over.

" Alright boys, I'm here. Come on out. " Shego said while she walked out briskly towards the hostages. With a quick scan she had already spotted two of her would be attackers. The hostages in the center of the room had mixed reactions. Some of them were throwing nervous glances trying to warn her. While some of them still looked scared. A couple actually looked relieved. The first ninja came out with lighting speed. His body however landed limply on the floor at Shego's feet. " Well that wasn't very graceful, what did you do hit your head? " Shego stepped back expecting the ninja to jump up at any moment. His still form didn't budge. Another combatant flew out at her, also unconscious as he slopped onto the floor. Scenarios started to play out in Shego's head as she tried to make sense of it all. Two more came out into the light, just like the others. By now Shego was trying to figure out who the back up was.

" Enough! " Shego turned to see what appeared to be the leader of the little group. He had entered the light, carrying a small child in his arms. " Call your partners out so we can see them. " The leader had a knife in one hand but had yet to make any aggressive motions. Shego was just as curious as their leader was, after all they were on a remote island.

" Rufus?" She called out into the dark. A low chuckle came back in response. ' Well that doesn't sound like Rufus.' Shego thought. The figure that appeared before her was a surprise beyond all measure.

" This time I caught you red handed." Kim said glaring at Shego. A sinister smile on her face. " I've been tracking these goons for months now, waiting for their leader to pop up. But I never thought it would be 'you'. " Kim's voice was as cold as ice. Shego cautiously eyed Kim over, who wasn't wearing her usual khakis and top. Instead she had a suit quite similar to Shego's, except of course it was black with red stitching.

" Hey listen lady she's not ACk!" The leader ninja was cut off by a blunt projectile thrown by Kim. It let out a metal ringing as it made contact with his forhead. Shego didn't see it coming. The child fell from the leader's limp grasp and bounced on the floor.

" I already took out the others, so it looks like it's just you and me. " Kim walked forward nonchalantly. Shego's mind blazed with alert. Something was seriously different with Kim Possible. " Well, you've got nothing to say after all this time? " Kim laughed semi maniacally. " I mean when you think about it, for the last three years we haven't gone more than a couple months without seeing each other. "

" Kimmie, not in front of the nice people. " Shego motioned at the hostages still cluttered in the middle of the room. The thought to profess her innocence had occurred to her but it was painfully clear that Kim had come here for a fight. And once she set her sights on Shego there was no known force on earth to stop her.

" You have a point. " Kim shrugged looking upward. Shego failed to make out the attack, it was either too sudden or too fast. With a single lunge Kim closed the gap between the two of them and sent a foot into Shego's stomach. Her body flew out of the room after crashing through the double front doors. All traces of Shego were gone in the blink of an eye, except for the air that had just been exhumed from her lungs.

Shego noticed the cold night air flowing around her before she noticed the attack. It was all too sudden for her. As her aching stomach fought against her, she back flipped out of her flying position and landed with her feet. It took about ten feet of skidding to finally come to a halt. Kim walked slowly out of the building as if she didn't have a care in the world.

" Tsk tsk tsk. Seems like you're getting slow. " Kim said as she stopped about twenty feet away. Shego's prior self started to emerge, something about Kim did that to her.

" You got lucky. " Shego defiantly declared as she stood up in a defensive position. Kim let out a laugh and shook her head. Her amused demeanor stung Shego to the core.

" You should have stayed down. " Kim said with narrowed eyes, still smiling. She came again, lunging forward at lightning speeds. Shego barely moved out of the way of the first strike. With Kim's face right in front of her Shego threw a punch. The punch never made contact however and suddenly Kim was behind her. Shego didn't really see anything, she just felt her legs being swept out from under her. While still in the air she felt Kim's fist come down on her stomach. Instead of Shego's body flying to the comfort of the earth it made back to Kim's knee impact. Her head whipped back and struck the ground. Kim withdrew her knee letting Shego's body flop onto the ground. " I don't get why you even bother. "

Shego's body was screaming in pain from head to toe. It wasn't only the speed, but the strength behind the blows. As blood started to trickle from her mouth, she looked struggled for a plan. Shego looked at some bushes behind Kim and focused on them. The sudden eruption of flame took Kim by surprise as she turned to confront the intrusion. Shego grabbed Kim from behind and flipped back with her feet planted firmly on the ground. Kim smashed into the ground head first but quickly did a hand spring recovery to put some distance between her and Shego. As soon as her foot made contact with the ground she lunged again. Shego threw out a cyan blast which caught the red head in the chest. But Kim's form tore through the smoke and continued with it's charge. Now with her fists ignited Shego managed to stop Kim's kick with a deflecting arm swipe. The next strike was a bare handed hammer blow which Shego also managed to stop. The girls locked eyes as they stood entangled.

" Yet another thing you've extorted from my life. " Kim said with cold, emotionless eyes that glared at Shego's cyan flames. She brought her foot around in a high arc and sent it forwards at Shego's head. Despite putting her arm up to catch the attack, it proved to be too much and Shego was thrust back by sheer force alone. Her arm now stinging and throbbing.

" I didn't extort shit! Ron came to me because you chased him away. " Shego yelled.

" Oh yeah? And what about all that money you've been getting from Wade? That's a nice suit you have on there. " Kim shot back.

" It's not like that! You ran away! You left everyone behind, so yeah I may have capitalised on the situation. But at least I was there. You know how many people I've helped in the past six months? " Shego spat back. Kim rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner.

" Yeah cause I have no clue what it's like to save the world. " Kim scoffed.

" You also know what it's like to quit. " Shego started recovering a little bit. She was still at war with her body to stay on her feet.

" I needed a break. I'm here now. " Kim said defensively.

" What about Ron? You quit on him Kim. " Shego re lit her hands waiting for the response. To her surprise it was verbal.

" You know nothing, I'm going to save him. " Kim crouched down taking a more serious tenor with her combat stance. " You may have fooled them, but you won't fool me. You will never change what you are, and maybe you hadn't slipped up tonight, maybe you were here to help these people. But that doesn't matter. You still haven't even answered for all the lives you have endangered in the past. "

Shego braced herself for the attack. She wasn't ready to use anything that could be considered lethal. Kim didn't seem to feel the same way. As the red head disappeared from sight Shego crouched to jump for an aerial advantage. A hand appeared out of no where and rested itself on her shoulder. A calming effect abruptly came over her. Shego suddenly didn't care if she was about to be clobbered. To her, everything was good. Kim suddenly showed herself, stopping about ten feet in front of Shego. How she got that close was a mystery to the black haired lady.

" Ron! " A look of happiness came over Kim's face.

" Who taught you Seishinteki Taijutsu?" Ron asked with a solemn look on his face. Kim suddenly reversed expressions and stepped back from her old friend.

" You need to come with me Ron. I have someone who wants to talk with you. " Kim kept up her defensive stance. A saddened expression came over Ron.

" I figured he would get to you. I'm sorry Kim. " Ron looked at her though his mind seemed else where. Kim relaxed and dropped her stance.

" Seriously Ron, I know you must be confused but he can explain it all to you. " Kim spoke with admiration in her voice.

" I'm sure we can work something out, but not today Kim. " Ron started to walk towards her. Kim pulled back.

" I was warned about your tricks. Don't come any closer! " Kim's voice was on the edge of unnecessary panic.

" What about us KP? " Ron stopped walking and asked earnestly. " Forget all this for a second and just focus on us. " Kim looked away rubbing her interlocked arms as she did so.

" You're not yourself Ron. " Kim said chancing a glance at him. " Dammit Ron I can help you, please we can help you! " Kim held out her hand, her eyes filled with unshed tears. Ron just shook his head.

" I don't know what 'he' told you, but look around. A war is about to begin and it's 'his' doing. " Ron stated. Kim's hand fell down limply.

" I understand. " She cast a nasty glare in Shego's direction. " You and I both know how this will end Ron."

" No we don't. No one does Kim. " Ron said as he turned his back on her. For a second Kim was visibly snubbed, but she soon put back on her icy mask and turned herself around. The previous noisy battlefield was dead silent as Kim walked away.

Shego just looked on, stunned into silence. Ron's appearance was unexpected, coupled with the way he talked to Kim. On one hand it made Shego jealous, but on the other hand the two of them being an item was still in question. Still a small part of her felt that Ron should have addressed her first. After all Kim attacked her. Trying to change her train of thought, Shego took notice of Ron. He was dressed in his usual manner of clothing, except now it didn't fit in certain places. Ron's chest had become slightly enlarged with muscles which made the top of his shirt wrap around tightly. It also looked like he had grown a bit, his pant legs and sleeves ended a couple inches short of where they should have. If Shego hadn't been so excited at seeing him, she might have cracked jokes at his ridiculous fitting clothes.

" It's good to see you Shego. " Ron smiled at her softly. Although his expression was light, Shego couldn't help but notice a heavy weight in his eyes.

" Ron..." Shego stopped at his name. This moment had been one she was hoping for since they separated. And now that it was here Shego couldn't think of what to say or do.

" Is Rufus okay? " Ron had yet to move. In fact he was so still his presence started to confuse Shego. The thought that he was an illusion started to run through her mind.

" Rufus? " Shego muttered. ' Is this real? ' She thought.

" What's wrong? " Ron started forward, that act was also unnatural. If there was a way to maximize the effectiveness of casually walking Ron had discovered it. But another thought came abruptly to mind.

" Wait a damn minute!" Shego cried out. Ron kept moving forward, as if he expected her reaction. " You're still picking up the broadcast in here! " Shego pointed at her head. " Well I've got news for you buddy, I've lost signal with you. " Ron smiled and stopped in front of her. He extended his arms as if to hug her but made no other motions to indicate so. " Fuck you pal! Why don't you turn 'this' off first!" Shego was about to turn about and storm off but she was interrupted by Ron's arms wrapping around her. It was then that all complaints ceased. In fact all thoughts in Shego's head ceased as she was enveloped by his comfort, physically and spiritually.

" I'm sorry but I can't do that just yet. But if it makes you feel better..." Ron trailed off. Shego's head snapped back from resting on his chest. An all too familiar feeling pressed itself on her consciousness. But in the past where it had been warring emotions Shego felt next to nothing. Not wanting to leave his embrace she spoke softly.

"I don't know how to tell you this stud but...it didn't work. " She looked up at him with an almost worried gaze, as if she had said something wrong. Ron chuckled back and then closed his eyes, as if to focus. A sudden feeling of joy raged in Shego's head, followed quickly by sorrow. A heavy sorrow that struck her to the core. And just as quickly it switched to fear. Shego had to step back, as if to break the connection. The lack of contact didn't do the trick however. More emotions came on to her until Ron opened his eyes back up. The prior emptiness returned. " Jesus Stoppable, you're like an emo zombie. " Shego said with a confused expression. Ron smiled back, again. But this time a low chuckle started from him. His mouth stayed closed holding it in for a second. But that too gave way and Ron was soon engaged in a hearty laugh. Although his body stood erect, his face being the only visible indicator.

" It's been so long since I've heard someone make a joke. " Ron said as he smiled at Shego admiringly. She could feel a slight sense of joy coming from him, though it paled in comparison to his earlier exhibition. " So what have I missed? "

" Alright , to give a quick recap, " Shego pushed forward from the awkwardness, " You're...Kim...attacked me after she got some bad info. I may or may not have said some unfriendly things, and maybe hinted at things between us that did or didn't happen..." Shego's face turned a bit red, if she had put prior thought into it she would have realized that her recap was potentially embarrassing. " Kim disappeared shortly after that, " Shego tried to quickly move on, " and I made some mutually beneficial deals with Wade. After that it kinda became a ...habit? " She stopped to refocus. " I was on a job out here when I bumped into 'her'. And there you have it. " Shego talked to Ron's chest not wanting to make eye contact, his unnatural presence still tugged at the edges of her mind.

" I had picked up some tabloids at the airport, so I kinda figured. But what kind of things that did or didn't happen between us did you may or may not have hinted about? " Ron inquired, if Shego had been looking at his face she would have noticed the amused smile.

" Ron I'm really sorry. I was trying to be civil, but you know Kimmie and I are. We go way back and ..." Shego didn't want to apologize anymore, the thought of hurting Ron and Kim's possible relationship seemed like a good one. " You know how competitive she gets, just imagine that when the trophy is you. " It came out wrong, and in reaction to the words Shego winced.

" So I guess that makes me a trophy wife or something? " Ron asked amused, he didn't notice until now how alien he had felt to the world. Shego was an anchor that he needed.

" Don't get your hopes up Stoppable, it was about us. Your just the consolation prize I hawk on Ebay. " Shego was starting to compose herself, even risking a glance at Ron's face. The smile that she suddenly noticed failed to amuse her. " Don't get all high and mighty on me! You're still just a side kick."

" With a strong and beautiful women such as yourself, how could I expect to be anything more? " Ron purred out. Intense months of training and becoming one with all had stepped up his game. Shego was stunned by the all too smooth reaction from the usual bumbling fool. As her cheeks glowed crimson she tried to change the subject.

" I didn't mean my..." She stopped to change tactics, " So what was that Shataki Taijutsu that Kimmie was using? " Ron had seen through her as if her daddy had been a glass maker. But he too moved on.

" It's called Seishinteki Taijutsu, and to translate it roughly it means 'spiritual bare handed arts'. " Ron explained. Shego opened her mouth to make a joke but Ron continued. " It's basically combining your bodies natural energy, or chakra, into your attacks. Naturally this energy is meant for sustaining and controlling your body. " Ron stopped and looked at Shego to make sure she was still following, she was. " Although it greatly enhances the speed and power of your attacks it comes at a cost. " Again Shego opened her mouth and again Ron cut her off. " The energy that Kim is using is meant for her body, if she gets injured or sick it will take longer for her to recover. It might even make recovery impossible. That energy source wasn't designed for such excessive use. "

" You gotta stop cutting me off." Shego made extended contact with Ron's eyes. " I take it there aren't many practitioners of this art? " Ron paused to respond dramatically, which Shego caught on to. " Alright smart ass go on with your Qui Qon Chi stuff. "

" It's extremely forbidden. The fact that Kim learned it is evidence that 'he' got to her. " Ron stated. Shego could feel an echo of sadness coming from him.

" Who's this 'he' guy? " Shego said slightly annoyed.

" In fact your style is similar to Seishinteki Taijutsu with the exception that you have an alternate power source. " Ron looked away from her. Shego didn't even notice he had changed the subject. A mystery that had bothered her for years had now been explained. And now that she understood it, she might be able to fully capitalize on it.

" No I won't teach you any form of Seishinteki Taijutsu." Ron interrupted her thoughts, " Even if you have an alternate energy source, it's still infused with your spiritual energy. You're better off being as you are now. "

" Stoppable stay the fuck outta my head! " Shego's abrupt response startled both of them. " I mean..." she paused for focus, " okay that's fine and all, but I was getting my ass handed to me back there. " Ron should have known better than to speak so freely. Something about the raven haired women made him let his guard down. He put yet another reassuring hand on her shoulder and spoke.

" We can talk about it later, no I'm not blowing you off, but it is an issue that is not meant to be taken lightly. " Ron waited for her to nod in understanding. For a brief moment they smiled at each other and shared something intimate on a minuscule level. Then Ron broke the moment and looked into the sky. " My chakra marker is almost gone, I've gotta go. " Shego did a double take at his sudden off subject words.

" Go? Wait what? " Shego took a step towards him.

" We will talk tomorrow, I'll see you then. " Ron then put one closed hand in front of his chest. He extended his index and middle finger to point upwards, and then with a twitch disappeared. All that remained were three expanding, dissipating blue rings of light. Shego stared at the empty space that was Ron in shock. After a minute it wore off.

" You gotta be shittin me. "

* * *

><p>Authors note* A great thanks to the people who took the time to read and review the story. On that note I'd like to point out my many mistakes that have been brought to light!<p>

Joe Stoppinghem- Pointing out my 'then' and 'than' complex, the very bane of my writing existence. Thanks for the help, I'll pay more attention.

Vase- Sorry about the gaps. Whenever I get writer's block I just move onto another scene. Sometimes the transitions I'll go back and write are a little weak, or just not there, I'm sorry about that. I've been trying to create a smoother flow.

Wiggle Waggle- Oh the joy of a title. The original title was "Ron Stoppable: The forward to the Kim Possible Series. This was too long. I was trying to think of a strong driving force that progressed from a team. I settled on what it is now. But after your comment I went back and read it. And you're right it doesn't make sense. So I'm sorry about that, and with time I might come to change it.

All comments and reviews are welcome, and thanks again.


	6. Part VI The Descent

Part VI

The rest of Ron's flight was uneventful. He tried to watch an inflight movie but it failed at keeping his attention. The stack of newspapers and tabloids Ron had brought with were also a painful read. They all stank of gossip and rumors, which annoyed the young master to no end. Still Ron felt obligated to obtain as much useful information as he could from the reading material. It didn't take too much longer until the plane was nestling down on the runway.

For some reason unbeknown-st to him, Ron focused on his emotions to send a calming thought to Shego. Although he had his newly acquired knowledge of the world, being human was still just as confusing if not more than before. An hour later Ron was checked into his hotel and soon after was sound asleep.

Ron woke up in his hotel bathtub, the water was still warm. It had been a sleeping device suggested by Sensei. It was the only way they could calm Inchuzo; after he had fallen apart from the test. Ron hoped that with time he could do without it. The young man toweled himself off and got dressed for the days activities. ' I could use some new clothes.' He thought to himself as he looked over his options. The only things that fit him were the clothes he had received from the school. The black gi was just asking for trouble, and the ceremonial master gi was a step up from that. After another minute of indecision Ron picked up the phone to contact the front desk. It was a half hour later that a tailor knocked on his door. Ron let the small man in, he wore thick glasses and was ensemble d in a simple black suit. The measuring process was over quickly and with after answering a couple questions about the type of suit he wanted the tailor was on his way. Ron shook his head after the ordeal was over. Fashion and dress meant very little to him. But Sensei had been very serious when he told Ron that he was a representative now of the Yamanouchi school. Which of course Ron replied ' But it's a secret school.' Never the less Sensei insisted that Ron look the part, and begrudgingly he agreed. Ron waited another half hour until his temporary suit arrived via bell hop. He absently tipped the young man focusing on the suit instead. Although it was casual it was a little too proper for Ron's taste. He opted to leave the tie out, and the jacket. The end result was dark grey slacks with an off white shirt and a vest that matched the pants. Ron was actually starting to get excited to leave, and then he noticed his reflection in the mirror. ' Come on...' Ron thought in mild frustration as he glared at his unruly hair and stubble. He hadn't had a trim for some time.

Ron left the little barber shop and got back in his car. He motioned for the driver to continue and sat back in his seat. The city glided by as the car made it's way down the street. The driver would occasionally check Ron in the rear view mirror. It creeped him out a bit that his passenger never moved. It was a stillness that one usually saw in inanimate objects. Of course Ron noticed the driver's invasive glaring. But he was instructed to look the part, not blend in. So with little to no disregard Ron resumed what had become natural to him. It wasn't an issue until a mile or two further.

" That truck stopped. " Ron said still looking out the passenger window. The driver jerked his focus back to the road and screeched the car to a halt, narrowly avoiding collision. ' He wasn't even looking at the road? How the hell...' The driver thought to himself. The rest of the drive was uneventful and Ron was soon dropped off at his intended destination. He tipped the driver and went on his way.

* * *

><p>Rufus rested his head against the side of his coffee mug. The heat from the hot drink expanded into the ceramic mug, creating the perfect heating stone for the little mole rat. As he leaned against the cup, waking up to the morning, he couldn't help but notice his room mate scurry about the apartment. She had woken up around five, and from the time it took Rufus to go back to bed he noticed she was cleaning. Three hours later when he woke up the apartment was spotless. It damn near sparkled from every surface. On the floor in front of the closet was a large pile of clothes, Rufus could make out Shego's angry utterances from within the closet. After going through his own morning ritual Rufus now sat at his coffee cup, reflecting on the experience, like he did every morning.<p>

Shego checked herself in the mirror one more time. She was wearing a plain white shirt with spaghetti straps and light tan linen pants, her goal was to appear casual but still look good. She looked at her hair and sighed, indecision with her hair had pained Shego all morning. ' I don't want it to look like I went out of my way to fix it up, but I don't want bed head. ' She thought as she ran her fingers through it trying to find a happy medium. It was then that the dreaded thought came back to her. ' What if he isn't really back? ' It was the reason Shego had made no mention of Ron to Rufus, or Wade. Deep down she had serious doubt. The man she encountered last night was not only different than the Ron she knew, he was other worldly. Giving up on her hair, Shego went to the kitchen to chat with Rufus. She had been giving her friend the cold shoulder all morning. ' He must think I'm crazy. ' She thought.

* * *

><p>Ron stopped outside the apartment door. A sudden nervous feeling encroached upon him, it greatly surprised Ron. He had after all mastered suppressing the greatest fears and conquered even his own doubts. And yet here he stood, hesitant to knock on 'her' door. Ron was no fool, he knew what was happening. He just didn't understand how, especially with Kim in as great danger as she was. A glimmer of his old self loathing emerged, only to be brushed away by his new found focus. Without further hesitation Ron knocked on the door. The response came quicker than expected and Shego's figure suddenly filled the door way. Maybe it was the light coming in from behind her that cascaded across her shoulders. Maybe it was the fact that the last time he had seen her it was dark. Either way Ron wasn't prepared and soon found himself lost, lost in every detail that was her. Shego might have mentioned something but she was preoccupied herself, admiring Ron and his casual wear. She looked up at his face with a warm smile. Ron found his line of sight on her face as well, with an equally warm smile. But the moment passed and Ron was all business again, his smile faded and his expression changed back to stone.<p>

" May I come in? " He asked.

" Oh yeah, sure. " Shego looked back into the apartment, her expression changing to a disappointed one. Ron walked by and was suddenly hit by the smells. It was something he noticed when he was a child. Every family, every person has their own smell. And though our human noses were weak in comparison to most other animals. A person's dwelling always contained a concentrated formula. Even a human nose could pick it up. With a deep breath Ron took it all in, this was his habit for entering anyone's home. However this scent had more of an effect on him then he thought it would. His thoughts were soon interrupted however as Rufus bounded across the counter and lept full force at Ron's face. Ron caught the little rat in mid air and brought him in for a hug.

" Rufus. " He said as his voice choked up. " Rufus my dear dear friend.." The couple held their embrace for several minutes.

" So I get a pat on the shoulder, Kimmie gets a stern talkin' to. But the mole rat is given the hug of a lifetime. " Shego said sarcastically. To her surprise she was a little jealous. Neither two seemed to hear her however as they held onto their embrace, muttering condolences to each other. In an agitated manner Shego went into the cupboard and pulled out another coffee cup.

" Would you like a cup? " She said with mock sincerity. Ron looked up in a daze and shook his head, he then put his head back down into the hug. " Rufus get over here! " Shego commanded. The mole rat replied and kicked off Ron's chest. Although as soon as he was by Shego he glared back longingly at Ron. Ron noticed Shego's sudden agitation and put his head back into the game. He wiped away an unshed tear and approached the island counter. Shego began to stroke Rufus with harmful intent. The mole rat knew better then to move and just let her rub his skin as it pulled tightly around his face. Ron took notice but he too knew better than to say anything.

" I'm not big on coffee, do you have water? " He asked her. Shego went for the fridge but Rufus beat her to it and with the bottle on his back did a front flip to throw it. Ron caught it with shock in his eyes.

" Good throw little buddy! "

" Yeah! " Rufus cheered. Shego slammed the fridge shut, keeping her back to the couple. Ron gave Rufus a look and they instantly understood each other.

" So have you actually been working with Wade? " Ron asked nonchalantly. Shego counted to ten in her head and then turned around. A smile now graced her face, it was fake.

" Yes I am, what gave it away? " She asked. Ron pointed at the communicator on the counter as he drank his water.

" I can recognize that bulky thing anywhere. Though I haven't seen one painted like that." Ron picked it up admiring it's metallic green paint job. Shego crossed the kitchen and sat at the table, resting her cup on it as she did so.

" Yeah well I'm taken care of. " Shego said boldly. Ron couldn't help but smile back in amusement. She looked at him still admiring the new Ron. His stance was as still as the counter he stood next too. " So what happened to you? " Shego asked. Ron set the device down and looked at her. She couldn't help but notice the sadness in his eyes.

" I finished my training. I learned a lot, and now I have something I have to do. " Ron said absently. Shego was uncomfortable with all the 'I's he had used. ' Of course he didn't just come back to sign up for the team. ' She thought as all prior illusions she had last night of her and Ron started to dissipate. " It's a long story actually, and as soon as Wade calls I'll explain it all. " Ron started petting Rufus as he talked.

" Ron..." Shego started to gather her courage. " I missed you. " She looked down at the table as she spoke.

" I missed you guys too. " Ron said looking at Rufus. Shego felt the sting of his admission. The signs that Stoppable was not interested kept piling up. Shego was coming up with a new tactic when the screen on the table flashed to life. She had requested that instead of just turning on it would signal an incoming transmission. Wade had thought it was so she could ignore him. Shego didn't want the little guy to see her naked. She pressed the 'accept' button and Wade's face illuminated the screen.

To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Wade just looked on in awe at Ron Stoppable. The blond haired youth had gone away and grown up. His facial features more defined, his body toned to near perfection. Even the clothes Ron was wearing was a blow to Wade.

" Ron! Holy Shit Wow! I mean...Ron!" Wade stammered out. Ron looked on with a smile on his face.

" When did you start talking like that? " Ron asked while he looked at Shego. With a blush she looked away. Wade turned his attention towards Shego as well.

" So this is what you meant with last night's debriefing. " Wade said scratching the back of his head. " I knew something was up. So Ron you back for good? " The dark skinned youth looked at Ron with expectation.

" Well actually I'm going to need your help. You mind filling me in on everything that's happened while I was gone?"

" Sure." Shego and Wade said at the same time. Shego shot Wade a look, and the boy returned an equally annoyed expression.

" Shego you tell me about the missions, and Wade you can fill in the rest. " Ron peacefully suggested. Wade nodded in agreement. The thought had just dawned on him how under dressed for the occasion he was. Shego was already out of her sleeping shirt and Ron was dressed like he just got back from a gentleman's night on the town. Meanwhile here he sat in his jammy jams. Shego began the recap picking up right after she had ended up with the communicator.

It took several hours of narration and laughter until all that had to be said was. Ron noticed right away the bond of friendship between Shego and Wade. From time to time the two would actually stop telling their story and just chat between each other. Ron couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. After all those years and not once did he ever just call Wade to chat. Rufus had left mid way to get dressed, which still weirded Ron out.

" So Ronald, What's your story? " Shego said. Both her and Wade stared at him expectantly.

" Well it's rather simple. " Ron paused to consider the easiest wording. " The earth is unsure about accepting people back into it. After a thousand years of indecision it has started putting two forces against one another to make the decision for them. But it always ends in a stalemate." Ron looked back at the stunned faces of Shego and Wade. As one they started to crack up. Shego waved at the screen dramatically.

" Wait wait.. Who am I? " Shego scrunched herself up in an uptight manner. " I am one with the earth. " She said solemnly. Wade fell back in his seat with a hard cackle. Ron let out a sigh and waited for the laughter to die down.

" This is a serious issue. And I'll need your help for this, both of you. " Ron pressed on. Shego rolled her eyes.

" Right! I've got some hemp sandals let me go get them. Then we can, you know become one with nature. " Shego started heading off towards her closet which Ron thought was a bit over the top. When she came back however no one was in the room. Shego looked into the screen and saw Ron chatting with Wade face to face.

" How did I use to put it? Serious face. " Ron said pointing at his face. Wade slowly nodded in defeat. Ron then made the motion he had made before and was suddenly back in Shego's apartment, leaving behind his blue rings in Wade's room. Wade just sat there stunned, Shego however refused to be impressed or intimidated.

" Alright hot shot, what's up with the teleporting thingy? " Shego asked accusingly. Ron looked back and gave an agitated sigh.

" That's not what's important. Do you believe in a higher power? " He asked.

" Like Jesus? " Shego said a bit taken back. Ron tilted his head like he was accepting progress, even if just a little.

" That's a title for it but yes. "

" Well no not really. I mean the whole catholicism thing is..." Ron put his hand up to cut her off.

" It's not about religion. It's about accepting that as humans we are all limited. Limited in thought, in physical ability, and all other things . " Ron said the last part glancing at Wade. Shego also looked at him, as if his blank stare would solve her confusion. Ron grasped his forehead, trying to come up with an explanation that was acceptable.

" All you have to know, is that we are on a mission that's more important than any of us." Ron finished. Silence was all that greeted him in response. After several minutes Wade chimed in.

" So Kim is working for the bad guys? " The youth asked. Ron made an unsure face.

" Well no not really. There is no set 'good' and 'bad' in this conflict. It's more two sides with different goals. " Ron saying this just added to the confusion. Clearly he needed to change tactics. " We represent humanity and are trying to achieve our rightful place with the earth. 'They' represent humanity as well but are trying to banish us from joining with the earth. " Wade nodded slowly, while Shego looked completely lost. Ron eyed each one slowly and then again switched tactics. He went over to the table and made a small puddle with the coffee.

" Hey I just cleaned that! " Shego objected. Ron put two hands up in a defensive manner.

" Just bare with me for a second. " He said. Shego looked on in an agitated manner. Ron put his hand over the puddle and began. " The earth is one collective living being. " As he spoke the puddle started to slowly turn clockwise. " In an effort to grow it created life. " As Ron extended his fingers the outside of the puddle separated into a hundred little droplets, the core remained intact while it slowly spun. " With life came experience, but the body or vessel that each life was given is temporary. And so when a creature dies it returns to the earth. Bringing with it everything that was it's life. " The droplets individually took turns returning to the spiraling puddle. " As time went on, the instruments that the earth used for growth became more advanced. That is until we came about. " Ron grabbed his water bottle and made a second puddle. " We are as alien to the earth as the earth is to us. " By now there were two puddles on the table, the one composed of water was spinning counter clockwise. " Even in all it's wisdom, the earth is not sure how accepting us back into it's core will effect it. " Ron put his hands together and the puddles emerged, turning into a watered down coffee. " It's all about self preservation. " Ron looked up at his audience. Wade had a look of understanding while Shego looked annoyed.

" No it's about you messing up my table and ruining my coffee jack ass!" Shego swiped her cup off the table and walked into the kitchen.

" So the earth is afraid of us? " Wade asked Ron. Ron paused in thought.

" The earth doesn't know fear, " Again another pause, " The best way to explain it is that the earth is very self centered. " Wade snickered.

" Sorry, sounds like a science joke. Please go on. " Wade said with a hand up.

" The earth knows about self preservation, and it knows about self improvement or growth. Pretty much any basic concept you find in an animal it knows. It has learned all this through the life it created and reclaimed. But there's no telling what will happen when you integrate all the experiences and memories of mankind." Ron said.

" Well if we're better off staying separate, why not just keep it that way? " Wade inquired.

" Because we are out of time. The earth can't keep housing us, we're destroying it. It's my hope that if we can return to the earth it will learn and grow to adapt to us. In doing so we'll all be reminded of it's importance and grow and adapt to it. "

" There are other ways to stop destroying the earth, I mean there's always recycling and reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. " Wade started counting off on his fingers.

" No Wade." Ron gave the boy a sad smile. " The earth will destroy us first. After all it's resources far extend our own. What's to prevent the o-zone layer from just disappearing? "

" Well that couldn't happen! I mean the earth can't control the suns rays interacting with the oxygen in the atmosphere. " Wade shot back heatedly.

" But what about not producing oxygen? Or how about producing nitrogen in such great quantities that the o-zone layer is eaten away? Or how about another route all together. You of all people should know how fragile the ecosystem is. Sure we can adapt, and survive. To an extent. " Ron waited for a response but none came. " The only logical thing to do is to reunite with the earth."

" But couldn't that destroy it? " Wade asked with bewilderment.

" That's possible, but that way we still have a chance. " Ron stopped to reflect on his time during the test. It still hurt to no longer be a part of the earth. Shego entered with a fresh cup of joe in her hand.

" Yeah yeah, we'll help. Hey Wade how's that new place coming? "

* * *

><p>The new place was more than adequate for Shego's taste. It was more of a large compound twenty miles outside the city limits. The structure had three levels each floor being assigned a specific task. The top floor consisted of rooms and gang bathrooms. Each room was fairly spacious, furnished with a twin or queen sized bed and a separate section with a small couch and flat screen television. Adjacent to the bed was a small closet with dresser drawers built in below.<p>

The first floor had a large entry way with a dual staircase leading up to the top floor on both sides. Beyond that was a commons area, with a comically large monitor and a jumble of matching sectional couch pieces and various chairs. There was a large room to the right which resembled a library, with built in book shelves lining the left wall. In the center of the room there were desks made of thick glass, each desk housed a computer. The right wall consisted of several large windows with a glass door that lead out onto a balcony. To the left of the commons area was a dining hall. A large wooden table dominated the room lined with two rows of elegant wooden chairs. Accessible by both the commons area and the dining hall was a kitchen, built mostly industrial like. With larger than household appliances and sinks. In the back of the kitchen side by side stood a walk in freezer and walk in refrigerator unit. If you continued past the commons area you would end up in a spacious room with a large fire place and a pool table. A mini bar setup sat in the corner right next to a door which led to a half bath. In the corner of the commons area was another stairwell that led down to the basement.

The sub floor was shaped like the letter 'E'. The stair case located at the center, to the north was a garage with nothing but Ron's old truck in it. A locker room was connected to the large empty garage. To the south was a small gym with equipment and a sparring arena, naturally weapons for combat and training adorned the walls.

After thirty minutes of inspection Shego sat lounging in the commons area talking to Wade on the large screen.

" Well what do you think? " The young man asked the green skinned lady.

" It's a bit big. I take it you plan on housing more people here? " Shego's response echoed. Wade nodded.

" This used to be an old GJ Immediate Response Compound. I caught it on the market a couple months before Kim graduated." Wade explained.

" What the hell were you going to do with it? " Shego asked.

" I wasn't sure which way Kim was gonna go after high school. I mean I figured college but from there.." Wade let his sentence to trail off for emphasis. " Either way I have had a lot of free time myself so I figured no matter what I could put some kind of team together, I guess. " Wade rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

" You wanted to create the X-Men." Shego leaned back with an amused smile.

" Not quite, but yeah I figured why not put this all together. I mean I had to do something with the money. " Wade leaned into the monitor waiting for Shego's reply.

" Alright I give, where does the money come from? " She shook her head with the question.

" I'm glad you asked! " Wade pulled himself up in his seat. " About two years ago I started charging monthly fees for our services. " Shego looked at the youth quizzically. " Rather any city or company that called on Kim and Ron's help got a subscription. Naturally a deductible was charged every time the team was called in. If it was world threatening than a slightly higher deductible was split amongst the subscribers." Shego burst into laughter.

" So this whole time Kimmie has been turning her trade for profit? " The concept brought child like glee into Shego's eyes.

" Well rocket shoes and grappling hooks aren't free. Not to mention majority of those 'favors' weren't really favors at all." Wade shot back defensively. " Unless it was mission related the money stayed untouched. "

" Okay okay. " Shego said between gasping breathes. " What about that logo over there? " Shego pointed to a large wall mount with the letters 'KP' on it.

" I guess we shouldn't have that up anymore..." Wade solemnly scratched at his desk.

" Leave it, it's perfect. " Shego spun around to notice Ron leaning against the wall. She had no clue how long he had been there. Wade looked stunned as well, though Shego wasn't sure if it was by his sudden appearance or his comment on the wall decoration.

" Ron..she's not one of us anymore. " Wade was struggling to find words as he spoke.

" It doesn't matter what she is now. She 'was' the one that brought us all together. And she 'was' the one who has saved countless lives. In fact I couldn't think of no greater image to aspire by. " Ron said as he walked in to the center of the room. Wade nodded back in agreement with Ron's wisdom. Shego was grinding her teeth.

" I'm glad you're back and all, but aside from 'becoming one with the earth' ," Shego made quotation marks with her fingers , " what do you care? " For the first time since his return Ron looked stunned, and even a little hurt. Things had been moving so quickly that the concept of barging in hadn't even dawned on the young man. It took a few moments of silence before anyone said anything.

" That's right. I never told you guys that I'm sorry. " Ron's subdued demeanor made Shego feel ashamed. " I didn't think things were going to play out like this guys. And I'm sorry. The truth is I should have taken the test years ago but I wasn't mentally prepared. If I had done it then this would all be over and Kim wouldn't..." Ron's echoes trailed off with his speech. Shego looked away, not comfortable with the effect her words had on this seemingly invincible young man. Wade just sat in his chair speechless.

" Ron, it's not your fault. And besides who knows? The little brat could be running back any second. " Shego got up and walked over to stand in front of Ron. " I mean, if I was her I would. " Ron slowly looked up into the face of the green eyed woman. It was that sight that calmed him, made everything okay. Ron was used to being the pillar that supported the structure that shielded everyone. And he always felt his role to be of little importance. But now, with Shego as his pillar, he couldn't be more grateful.

" Thank you. " Ron whispered into her ear as he walked by. His hand lingered behind on Shego's shoulder for a second longer. Shego looked a bit stunned. " I'm sorry for walking in here and trying to take everything over. You guys have picked up the good fight, so if you're okay with it I'd like to be part of the team. " Ron's words rang with confidence and sincerity.

" How do we go about stopping this new guy? " Wade asked the obvious. Ron noticed the dismisal of his request. He smiled at Wade and nodded.

" He doesn't want to be found, needless to say time is on his side. So that should be our main goal. " Ron said.

" If time is on his side than why didn't he just lay low this whole time? " Wade asked.

" Good question, and I've thought about it a lot. We would know of his existence one way or another. And locating him through my arts and your technology would take time but still eventually happen. The only logical thing to do was to strike first, while I was detained. " Ron put his finger to his lips while deep in thought.

" And the first thing he did was take our queen. " Wade said heatedly.

" Hold on! Queen? First off he didn't take her, she went with him! And secondly I thought you were Team Shego? " Shego angrily said. Wade put both hands up defensively.

" If you can excuse Wade's metaphor, he has a point. With Kim gone we are missing a valuable asset and friend. " Ron paused to reflect on his own wording. " But thankfully we have you here which more than makes up for that. " Ron and his newly acquired silk tongue flowed out. Shego's attitude was immediately spurred and she just shrugged.

" Well yeah I guess not having the princess is a blow to the team. "

" Holy crap! You just admitted that you're part of the good guys! " Wade exclaimed.

" No! No I didn't! " Shego shook her arms and head for added emphasis. With an open mouth grin Ron walked over to her.

" No matter your intentions, I'm really glad to have you here. " Shego's cheeks burned crimson as she failed to make eye contact, instead setting her gaze on Ron's mouth. " And I sincerely hope you find what you're looking for. " Shego looked a bit taken back. ' I thought I had already found it. ' She thought. Ron turned around to look back at Wade who by now was lamely acting distracted. " I think with the current turn of events we should lay low. You cut off his income, although a predictable move, a solid one. I also think that my presence should be kept as quiet as possible. Perhaps Shego will fill in as head agent or whatever you refer to us as. "

" Angels? " Shego sarcastically supplied. Ron chuckled and gave her another one of those knee wobbling looks. Wade laughed nervously, the chemistry between the two started to bother him.

" So let's be on the lookout, and in the mean time do what we do best. We'll have strength in numbers as well. I have a couple people in mind for the occasion but those are the only two heads I can supply. " Ron said.

" I have some possible recruits. But I'm still not sure why he even bothered showing up on our radar. " Wade said.

" He hasn't. " Wade and Shego looked at Ron curiously. " Have either of you seen his face? "

" Yeah, he's a kid about your age that plays dumb video games like you do and says stupid things like you do. " Shego contributed. A sudden light clicked in Wade's head.

" It's doubtful that was him. He probably wouldn't make it that easy! " Wade spoke out as if he were on a game show. Shego looked annoyed while Ron just nodded.

" This whole game is just a ruse to stall us. " Ron said.

" But then why get more people involved? " Shego asked with a confusion lined expression.

" It's true that with less people, we have less of a chance of being infiltrated. And our actions on a global scale become more pronounced with more members. But every person we add to the team is another piece 'he' has to take into account. Furthermore it gives the three of us more breathing room to look for him. Hopefully we can beat him at his own game. " Ron replied.

" Distract him with his own distraction? " Wade suggested.

" Yes. At least until we can get closer. " Ron stopped to focus on his thoughts once more.

" Why can't you just teleport and clobber the son of a bitch? " Shego asked.

" I have my limits. And 'he' should be just as strong as I am. " Ron said absentmindedly.

" Wait you mean he can do all the things you can? " A look of shock came over Wade.

" Not exactly. Rather we'll be balanced. Where I lack intelligence 'he' will have plenty. Where I have excelled strength 'he' does not. "

" This save the earth monkey magic crap is too much. Do we get a staff or something here? Cause I needs me some food and nothing in that kitchen looks user friendly." Shego said as she started walking towards the cafeteria.

" The staff and toys will be coming in next week, as well as the recruits. A construction crew will start on the expansion tomorrow. " Wade said.

" Expansion crew? " Shego asked. Wade shrugged modestly.

" I figured for a couple offices and such. And to be honest I thought you would want a personalized room. " Wade threw the last part in so he wouldn't have to hear any gripes about the noisy construction process.

" One other thing Wade. I'll need some new suits for mission work, and the name of your supplier. " Ron said. Wade looked taken back at the odd request. It was Shego who chimed in this time.

" The princess and I had matching uniforms, minus the colors and all. " Shego stopped at the door and looked around. " Rufus!" She cried out loudly. The mole rat slid into the room moments later. " You want chinese food sweetie? "

" That's fine. " Ron replied.

" I was talking to Rufus you ass." Shego said with a giggle. Ron looked away a little embarrassed.

" I'll email you the info you asked for sweetie. " Wade chimed in. Ron shot him a dangerous look. The stack of papers that Wade had residing on his desk suddenly exploded. Sending the young man back in his seat and bits of paper fluttering in the air. Shego laughed at their theatrics and stopped short of the door.

" Wait, where the hell is the phone? "

* * *

><p>The steady hum of the plane's engines drowned all other sounds out. As Kim looked around the cabin she noticed that she was once again alone with her thoughts. Although it had been quite some time, everything leading up to this point was still a blur. Kim couldn't help but feel that her life was in fast forward, with no way of stopping it. She had spent many hours contemplating her recent decisions, her new life. It all started with that day she met Tim in the arcade. Driven on by inconsolable heartache, Kim made an attempt to make a bond with the young man. At the time she wasn't sure why, but now she knew. It would be the closest thing Kim would get to talking to the 'old' Ron. That false self confidence, that reckless sense of doing what felt right and not what was considered acceptable. Kim knew these things were childish, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye to them. If she and Ron were ever to have a relationship again it would have to be built on understanding. And this time Kim could watch first hand the maturing of her new friend. She could take that experience and apply it to Ron. Well that was the plan at first.<p>

But Tim had a confession...

_The young red head and her new companion sat at the Burger Barn enjoying lunch. The conversation had been light until after one fit of laughter died down Tim's face took on a somber look. _

_" What's wrong? " Kim asked alarmed. This was the first time she had been close to happy in a long time. The thought of it being suddenly ruined didn't sit well with her. _

_" Well it's just...promise you won't be mad. " Tim started nervously poking his index fingers tip to tip. _

_" What are you talking about? " Kim had only known him for thirty minutes, so nothing that he could have done wrong came to mind. _

_" I lied." Tim squeezed his eyes shut waiting certain retribution. Kim looked at him lopsided with a smile. His mannerisms reminded her so much of Ron. _

_" Okay why don't you start with what you lied about? " Kim chided. _

_" I knew who you were. The truth is I'm a big fan. " Tim started to scratch the back of his head. " But I'm also a big fan of Ron Stoppable. I was...never mind it's dumb. " Tim glared out the window defeated before he even began. _

_" What about Ron? " As Kim spoke his name it burned her tongue, making her mouth go numb. Tim squirmed in his seat for a bit and then went on. _

_" Well I know you shouldn't believe everything you read. But I've just been reading things about him the past year that just don't make sense. " Tim continued to squirm, as if his confession would burn his skin off. _

_" Yeah... A lot of that stuff can be deceiving. Ron's still a great guy. " Kim talked down to this young man, even though he seemed about the same age as she. _

_" It's just... was he really running around with Shego? " Tim asked incredulously. Kim was silenced by his question. Her emotions threatened to surface as she turned her gaze towards the window. _

_" She's one of the good guy's now. He was just helping her is all. " Kim's voice sound as fake as she believed her words to be. She continued to look out the window. Tim looked a bit taken by Kim's sudden change. _

_" I'm sorry, I mean I was just curious is all." Tim offered in condolence. _

_" No it's fine, " Kim turned back towards him, tears streaking down her face, " He's a celebrity right. Damn if we deserve any privacy. " Kim started to wring the napkin in her hands, as if she could strangle the life out of it. Tim gently set his hand on hers, Kim looked up at the young man. _

_" Do you want to talk about it? " Tim asked with sincerity. Kim looked back a little surprised. _

_" No...I mean...that's crazy I just met you.." Kim began to look away again but the young man gave her hand a gentle squeeze. _

_" Please, before any more harmless napkins lose their lives in this senseless conflict. " Tim said. Kim looked up at him and his lopsided grin. She looked back down and smiled. And then started to give a lightly edited version of everything that had transpired. _

Kim found out later that Tim had friends in high places. With his help she learned of the real Yamanouchi school, and their horde of assassins. She learned how they brain washed Ron and set him on the wrong path. Of course she questioned it all at first. But everything fit up perfectly. Every move Ron or Shego would make would be predicted, rather premeditated. And it was all the doing of their ' Sensei '. After a couple more arguments it all started to fall into place. The running around with Shego, and the sudden trips to the school. And of course Ron acting like someone else. Kim couldn't believe that it took her so long to see that something was wrong.

Tim exited the bathroom, dressed in mission garb. The young man had cried and moaned for weeks, all in an attempt to get Kim and him to start their new 'super' mission; save Ron Stoppable. Kim gave in after Tim showed her that he wasn't completely useless because of all his many connections. There was Walter, an ex-CIA intelligence agent, and Mick, Kim wasn't sure of his specialty, but he was crafty. And then there was Tim's uncle Suji, which was short for some complicated Japanese name. After thumbing through all of Tim's relatives and friends she had to admit that she was impressed. Suji even took Kim in and taught her the most amazing fighting techniques.

" I was thinking Kim, maybe we should hold off on this." Tim shouted so Kim could hear him.

" You said so yourself, we have to flush them out. " Kim yelled back.

" Well I didn't really plan it like this...I mean what if someone gets hurt? " Tim said losing all his nerve. Kim put a reassuring hand on Tim's knee.

" I won't let anything happen to you. Come on let's go. " Kim opened the side door and gave her chute one last check. Tim reluctantly followed behind her.

The building that the team descended upon had recently been taken over by the Black Clad Ninja Gang. By first impressions, it seemed like a standard government building. Standing fourteen stories in height, with a boring grey paint job. But according to Tim's intel, this place housed government records. A lot of them that weren't supposed to be there, or never to have existed in the first place.

Kim and Tim landed on the rooftop, the good old fashioned source of entry. As Kim rolled up her chute she looked over at her new companion and smiled. Tim was entangled in his chute, swiping around in a vain attempt to free himself.

" Quit fooling around Tim, we have to go. " Kim walked past her partner and made way for the rooftop door. She fiddled around in her pockets looking for her new pocket laser. The search ended up short so Kim switched to option 'B'.

Tim had finished getting off the chute and looked over at Kim. With little to no warning, she thrust her fist through the metal door. A couple seconds passed as she fiddled with a lock on the inside and then pulled her hand out. Kim opened the door and looked back towards Tim. He was shaking his head.

" Impressive captain. " Tim said as he walked by going into the building. Kim rolled her eyes at his comment, he had a thing about pirate lingo. The duo made their way down the stair well until they reached their predestined floor.

" I think I twisted my ankle back there. " Tim said while wincing. Kim gave the young man a once over.

" I think you're going to live. " Kim mocked back. She tested the door and found that not only was it unlocked, but well oiled. The number one bane to stealthy entrances; creaky doors. Kim motioned for Tim to stay back, and went inside. With inhuman speed, she dove towards a desk and snuggled her back against it. The young red head gave a quick sweep of the room, and after seeing it was empty motioned for Tim to enter. It still amazed Kim that Tim was unable to pick up any of his uncle's miraculous fighting techniques. But still she kinda liked him the way he was. It was Ron's monkey man stuff that started the wedge between them. Her expression darkened for a second.

" Come on, let's get this over with." Kim stood up and walked forward, dropping all pretenses of stealth. The thought of Ron would always do this to her now. ' You're being reckless.' Kim thought. ' I don't care.' The other part of Kim thought.

After several minutes of stalking the hallways, Kim approached the last door. " Stay behind me. " Kim said coolly. Tim just glared at her back, a look of fear etched into his expression. Kim kicked the door open, upon contact with her foot the door turned into splinters. She walked in the room and to her surprise found a ninja pointing a gun at her.

Everything went by with lightning speed. The ninja fired, but Kim had already pulled her head back. Another shot and again Kim was too quick. She side stepped in the other direction. This pattern happened several times. Each time Kim would side step in the other direction she had before. The shots abruptly ended as she decided to end it. A swift kick to the ninja's arm sent the assailant flying across the room. His arm did little to stop the kick after the bone snapped, she was certain the kick had also cracked some ribs. But the assailant didn't have much time to think about it for soon he made contact with the wall and everything turned black.

Kim looked around the room and didn't notice anything else of interest. " What do you think he was after Tim? " Silence came in response. " Tim?" Kim's eyes widened as she realized that Tim had been behind her, the very same location of the bullets. " Tim!" Kim ran out of the room into the hallway. Bullet holes riddled the wall opposite from the door, but no signs of blood. Tim suddenly popped up from around the corner, unscathed.

" Relax Kim, I've got mad bullet dodgin' skills. " Tim said as he shot the red head a confident look. Kim let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. The look he gave her was a bit confusing, Kim was certain there was something more to it.

" Yeah well... I'm sorry about rushing in like that. It was kinda foolish huh? " Kim smiled back, giddy with relief. Tim just shrugged in response. " Let me go grab our NRA friend, we can drop him off at the bottom. Why don't you report in to Mick? " Tim nodded in acknowledgment while Kim went to recover the ninja. She walked over the room stepping on all the 'priceless' documents as she did so. The red head crouched down and looked at her unconscious foe. ' Pulling a gun, not very ninja like. ' Kim thought as she reached over to remove his mask. A small gasp escaped her lips as she saw her would be killer. It was a kid no more than sixteen years of age. With sudden concern Kim checked over his injuries and his pulse. Everything seemed in stable. Kim picked the young man up and started for the hallway. " Hey Tim! This guys just a kid! Can you.." She suddenly stopped talking when she entered the hallway. At the end of the hallway, Kim could see another ninja dragging Tim into the elevator. The assassin looked at her and threw out a volley of shuriken. Having to sacrifice her hostage to save herself, Kim jumped back in the room. The star shaped pieces of metal cascaded on the space that she had just occupied. Two of said pieces embedded into the arm of the unconscious ninja.

Kim jumped back out in the hallway, holding a small filing cabinet in front of her. She could hear dozens of small impacts as more shurikens came at her. The elevator doors finally closed when Kim was about ten feet from them. She threw down her filing cabinet shield which had been shredded next to nothingness. Clearly the fighting location was picked with some prior thought, the hallways made Kim's new found speed a moot ability. Acting on instict, Kim forced the elevator doors open and looked down the shaft. The elevator was about six floors down and gaining. Kim dove down after it.

With the skilled onslaught of the shuriken and the stealth to capture Tim without her notice, it had dawned on Kim that she wasn't messing with a child this time. Rather this was a true skilled veteran. With a loud thud Kim landed on the elevator, which in turn abruptly stopped. The emergency stop alarm echoed throughout the dark shaft. Kim took a step and then with a grunt kicked the access hatch in. In response a shadow swept by and above her. Kim looked up to see the ninja grappling onto the cable, he was now Timmless.

" I was after someone else, but you will do just as well. Goodbye Mrs. Stoppable. " The ninja said through his mask. Before Kim could correct him or say even anything the ninja cut the elevator cables, sending the duo crashing downwards. As soon as it happened Kim tried to get into the elevator. But her efforts proved fruitless, as the elevator descended quicker than she did leaving her in the air. However this didn't last for long, soon the emergency brakes kicked in and the elevator started screeching to a halt. Kim crashed into it with a grunt and waited for the ride to be over.

After the elevator had come to a halt and the riotous noises had all but ceased, Kim got up on shaky legs. In her constant haste the young lady had done little in self preservation, blood now trickled down her sleeve. Kim noticed that they stopped mid floor, with a set of elevator doors leveling out with the top of the elevator. The red head pried open the doors and turned back for Tim. That's when the explosion went off. Kim jumped out of the shaft on instinct narrowly avoiding the inferno that traveled upwards. Her senses catching up to her, she turned and stared in horror at the fiery blaze that undoubtedly had consumed her new friend. As soon as the blaze died down Kim ran towards the open elevator doors, but the as she looked down for the elevator she just saw an empty shell. The bottom and top of the elevator had been blown completely off and by all appearances had disentragated away.

The very thought of the events that had just transpired was maddening to Kim Possible. These events seemed to defy all logic and common sense. As if separated from reality, Kim stared into the elevator shaft with a vacant stare. Blood flowed down her forearm and started dripping to the floor. Kim's shock was still too intense for her to take notice. Many events continued to transpire as the now broken red head stood in shock. Alarms sounded off through the building and the sprinkler system kicked on. The water showered Kim down washing away her blood stained battle wear. The water collected on the floor and started to drain into the elevator shaft, Kim started to shake. It started with small tremors at first. And then ascended into a full body convulsion. The young women doubled over onto the floor and let out a pathetic sob that resembled a croak. Her crying and convulsion clashed with one another as her sobs came out with hiccups and more croaking. Sprinkler water continued to rain down drenching the prior teen hero. The water soon puddled up enough to catch Kim's hair, floating and tugging the ends into it's current. Kim layed there in a fetal like position, somewhere between the edge of infinite sorrow and madness. She had never known a pain like this, a situation this out of control. It was then that everything Kim had come to know shattered, leaving behind her balled up pathetic form. Her breathing came at a flurried pace trying to balance out from her cries. Kim squeezed her eyes shut trying to drown it all out, and drifted into darkness.

* * *

><p>Author's note* This story is dedicated to all the writers of fanfiction. Personally, I'd like to thank all of those who submitted comments and criticisms. It's with your help that I can write better.<p> 


	7. Part VII The Calm

Part VII

* * *

><p>Ron watched the t.v. with mute interest. The caption on the screen read ' Ron Stoppable Dead!'. As the news broadcast continued Shego walked in the commons area, ensembled in a light grey dress that was hemmed at her knees.<p>

" Who died? " Shego inquired with Ron's intense glare at the screen.

" Apparently I did. " Ron calmly said back. Shego looked at the T.V. and a look of surprise came upon her. Absent mindedly she sat on one of the many pieces of furniture.

" Volume level forty-five. " Shego said, the sudden intrusion of the news broadcast echoed through the large room.

" I was wondering how you do that. Thanks. " Ron glanced towards Shego and then focused his attentions back to the broadcast.

"...they continue to search but a body has yet to be recovered. Meanwhile famous teen hero Kim Possible is in the hospital in critical condition. Crowds numbering in the thousands have already started to gather in support for the teen crusader's recovery. " The news reporter stopped to listen to her earpiece. After another moment she picked back up. " This just in we have an exclusive interview with one of the members of the first response team. " The short haired reporter gave a nod and the picture changed to a close up of a firefighter with water still dripping off his hat.

" She just kept saying ' they killed him ' over and over. The captain over there gave her a firm shaken to ...trying to inquire as uh... where this him was and she uh she pointed towards the elevator. " The firefighter looked down shaking his head. " Anybody in that elevator ain't with us anymore. " He finished talking and walked off waving the camera away as he did so. The broadcast quickly cut to another firefighter, this one just as dirty.

" I says 'Jesus Charlie she's bleeding quit shaking her' and you know that's when we noticed the extent of the said injuries. It's all a real shame." The camera cut back to the young lady reporter with her hand still to her ear piece.

" Reports are still coming in but the scene here is a mad house. If you're just now joining us it's being speculated that Ron Stoppable has passed away. To make things worse Kim Possible is listed as being in critical condition. " Ron turned away as the report continued on. Shego looked at him, confused. She wasn't sure what to say, or where to start.

" I know that building. It's owned by Bueno Nacho. " Ron said while looking off into space. " This was a message, I just don't know what the message was exactly." Shego started to rub away at the corner of the chair with her finger.

" Mute. " She called out to silence the t.v." Maybe he gave up on the whole using Kimmie thing? I mean..." She trailed off as her mind raced to connect the dots. " That nerdy guy, which I still think is the bad guy, faked his own death. And the news assumed it was you. " Shego stopped to think. " I thought you said this guy was smart. " Shego stated matter of factly. Ron didn't look so convinced.

" First off, he wanted a public spectacle, so word would reach me. Secondly, Kim thinks he is dead. And that accomplishes... what? " Ron poked his temples with his finger tips trying to grasp the situation. " Either way I have to go see Kim. " Ron walked out of the commons area. Shego jumped up quickly to follow, her footsteps echoed loudly as she paced after the young man.

" Wait wait wait. " Shego stepped in front of Ron and put her hands on his chest. " You can't just run in there asking questions. I mean come on I think we can all agree that Kimmie is brain washed. " Shego looked up at him, Ron's return gaze was one of annoyance.

" You don't understand. " Ron looked down at her hands motioning for Shego to move them. Instead the black haired girl pushed back a little more.

" If it's one thing you don't understand oh mighty master, it's women. Why don't you just chill out here for a bit and I can go talk to the princess. " No sooner had the words left Shego's mouth Ron let out a scoff. " Okay maybe not me but how about Wade?" Ron's expression quickly changed from annoyed to upset.

" She isn't just some enemy we're extorting information from! Kim needs medical help that only I can give!" Ron shouted back while losing his temper. Shego could hear and feel it.

" And what if that was his plan Ron! " Shego pulled her hands away from his chest so that she could wave them around at her sides. " What if this is all some kind of trap? " Shego spoke the last part slowly. Ron failed to notice her concern.

" I know you don't care about Kim, but she needs m..." Ron started back calmly.

" What about you Ron!" Shego suddenly shoved the young man back. " Yeah you're right, I don't really give a shit about Kimmie, cause I don't know if you have noticed but lately she has been a real bitch! And yes Ron you're more important! This stupid mission with the earth you're doing is being jeopardized so you can catch up with the girlfriend that ditched you! " Shego started pacing back and forth in her rant. " Hey I heard the world's gonna end, " she turned around as if playing another character, " oh that's lame, did you hear that Kim Possible is doing just fine?" Ron stared at the green skinned lady in wide eyed amazement. Shego looked back at him with anger in her eyes. " Why can't you see how stupid this is? " The last part was the only part of the rant that wasn't shouted.

" I don't know what this is really about, but it doesn't concern you. " Ron started walking past her. He quickly sidestepped as Shego lept at his back. Shego caught nothing but air and had to dive into a roll to get back on her feet. She had a new expression on her face, if she was angry before, now she was livid.

" Doesn't concern me! " She shrieked rhetorically. " Fuck you Ron Stoppable! " Shego took a step forward to get into his face. " You dragged me into this shit! " She poked Ron's chest with her finger as she spoke. " And you know what really pisses me off? " Ron's face remained like stone. " It's not that you disagree with me, it's that you won't even consider my opinion for a second! You've got no respect for me, it's like I'm chop fuckin' liver! " Shego huffed in between sentences. " But please by all means you go. Cause she hasn't changed, she wants nothing to do with you. Kim wants the old Ron Stoppable, and sadly, I miss him too. At least he, " Shego poked him in the chest again, " would stop to listen to his friends, his 'real' friends. " She let out one last sigh as if she had just removed a weight from her chest. Ron stared back, small cracks in his expression started to reveal themselves. But just as quickly he went back to the way he was.

" Shego...I need to go. " Ron's response fell on deaf ears. Shego had said what she wanted to and was done. She walked off in silence, her footsteps echoeing behind her.

* * *

><p>Ron walked along the hospital roof at leisure, failing to disturb any stones on the graveled roof as he did so. He had been on this roof top for over half an hour now. At first it was in attempts to feel out for any traps or hidden dangers. But eventually Stoppable's young mind wandered. It was true, he had gone through a lot, and he had changed a lot. But he still felt like the same person he used to be frequently throughout the day. If anything had really changed it was his uncontrollable need to verbalize everything. Shego's words had got to him, bothered him on a personal level. In fact it seemed like ever since he got back, she was the one correcting him on his arrogance and his lack of compassion. ' I used to have too much passion in everything, and now...' Ron thought. On one hand he knew why he had to be what he was now, why he had to sever his ties and focus on the mission. And yet it was the same ties that gave the mission any meaning. ' Of all people, it's her.' Again Ron's thoughts. The young man had refused to accept any joy from his feelings for her. The butterflies she put in his stomach, the trance that her compelling gaze put him in. There was no way that Ron could deny that he had feelings for her. And yet he went out of his way not to give into them. It was just yet another conflict of being filled with infinite wisdom and yet still having limited experience with human emotions and psyche. The one thing Ron could agree on, was that he needed to reach out to Kim whenever he could. Whatever remained of their relationship, as friends or more, needed to be salvaged. If anything just to prevent the young red head from getting herself killed. It was this closing thought that pushed Ron forward.<p>

A faint blue image of Ron Stoppable floated through the hallways of Merciful Rose Hospital. As the ghost hovered along, it tilted it's head at each patient's room. It never looked in, but made an indication that it was searching. After going through half of the hospital, the specter stopped, and entered the room of Kim Possible. Several seconds later Ron's actual body filled in the ghost image. The young man's figure landed on the floor without a sound. Ron looked down and looked at his old friend; his old lover. The sight was enough to break any man's heart. Tubes ran along her bed, some carried blood and some air while others carried clear fluids. A machine beside the bed displayed her heart beat, the audible chimes had been muted. Ron's gaze became mesmerized by the machine's green light as it spiked in rhythm with Kim's heart. Again he was overcome with emotion and deep thought. ' I put her here.' Ron thought as self doubt creeped over him. ' If it wasn't for everything I have done, she would still be the invincible Kim Possible.' Ron quickly grabbed her hand and closed his eyes. What little energy she had was fading. Instead of focusing on reviving her, that small amount of energy clung onto life, hoping for a miracle. Ron envisioned encompassing her energy with his own. He had enough control now that the thought of combining the energies didn't even concern him. After a minute of measuring her up, Ron started the recovery process. Ron pictured spinning her energy around, as if to bully it with his own. After a while Kim's energy stopped flaring at him and just accepted it's fate. It was then that Ron envisioned his energy breaking off into tiny pieces. The pieces interacted with Kim's small husk of energy, eventually being absorbed. The process took some time for Ron's energy had to be fed to Kim's in small doses. This was a technique to prevent any bonds or other side effects. After an hour Ron decided it was enough, and the young man sat back in the chair across from the bed. He heard a nurse making rounds.

" Can I help you sir? " The hushed whisper came from the young nurse. Ron looked at her with a side ways glance and shook his head. At first the nurse was a mixture of curious and afraid. But soon recognition kicked in and everything else was replaced with shock. " RO..." Ron was out of his seat and in front of the nurse within a heartbeat, his index finger now against his lips.

" Please, I know it's not visiting hours but I'll be quiet. " Ron said with an even tone. His presence was not so much intimidating, rather it was compelling. The nurse faintly nodded back, and with robot like motions turned around and left the room. Ron crossed the room again and stared down at Kim. It was painful for him to see her that way. But for some reason it was a good pain, as if Ron felt he deserved to be punished.

Several hours later the sunlight started to flitter about the room. Ron had remained motionless as he stared at Kim on the bed. A small gathering of hospital staff hung out in the hallway. A particular sunbeam played across the bed and with in minutes of it's creation warmed Kim Possible's face. With a slight groan and a groggy head shake Kim's eyes fluttered open. As her vision came in the first thing she saw was Ron's face. Inside she felt as warm as the sunlight. But all too fast the reality of the situation dawned on her.

" Where's Tim!" Kim shot up into a sitting position looking around in panic. Ron silently stood there watching Kim with interest. The young girl put her head in her hands, as if it would help piece together the puzzle. After a minute she slowly looked up at Ron. " Tim's dead..."

" Yes he is, I'm sorry KP. " Ron said solemnly. Deep down the young man knew that whichever Tim turned out to be ,henchman or mastermind, Ron's words carried truth to them. The Tim that Kim knew was gone. Kim looked back down at the bed, a comatose look on her face.

" They wanted you Ron...they set up a trap for you and we walked into it." Kim said without changing her expression. Ron arched a brow at the news.

" What do you mean? Who is 'they'? " Ron asked. Kim didn't answer. The young girl just looked on as if there were a million layers in her hospital blanket. Ron remained still, not wanting to provoke her. " Kim, you want to talk about it? About Tim I mean? " Kim looked away as Ron said Tim's name.

" You don't really care about me or Tim. " Kim said into the side of her bed as she continued to refuse Ron eye contact. Ron responded with silence. He didn't want to lie to her, and though of course he cared about Kim, he wasn't sure which reason he had asked for. ' What am I turning into? ' Ron thought to himself.

" I wanted to know that you were okay. And I wanted you to know that I'm still here. Just like I have been since pre K. " Ron finally said. Conflictions aside he moved forward. " Kim, KP, I'm sorry about everything. I mean this whole mess has ..."

" Save it Ron. I hear you, and I can turn and see you, but Ron Stoppable isn't in this room right now. " Kim interrupted. Ron stayed silent, having a sense that she wasn't finished. " Tim is dead Ron, a young man who's only crime was looking up to you! " Kim jerked around with tears in her eyes. Her anger now evident on her face. " He wanted to help you but the high and mighty Ron Stoppable was too busy fucking his green skinned whore to pay attention to the little people! " Kim spat out violently. Ron's anger stayed in check, so much that it bothered him. For some reason it was easy to rationalize Kim's emotions and understand her anger.

" Shego and I aren't like that Kim. Please don't think like that. " Ron said back calmly. His composure seemed only to feed her anger. The young man still lacked tact in dealing with a woman's emotions.

" I saw the way you look at her! Don't think you can fool me! " Kim yelled out. The hospital staff started to stir outside so Ron used his talents to subdue them. Within seconds all members of the audience wandered off aimlessly. Ron looked back at Kim, not sure what to say.

" So what do you want me to say? " He inquired.

" I want you to stop being this," Kim flicked her wrist in his direction, " and I want you to get away from that school and that Sensei guy." Kim said in a more subdued tone. Ron's expression was one of impatience.

" Kim how do you know that 'you're' not working for the wrong side, and 'you're' not being decieved? " Ron had a little more infliction in his tone then he desired. The dozen plus years of relationship started to effect him.

" I don't use blood money Ron, but you do. That account that Sensei gave you access to? That's money paid for assassin services. " Kim said back piteously. Ron looked a bit taken back. The fact that Kim knew about the school's account surprised him. Before he could interject however Kim continued. " Have Wade check it out Ron, he'll connect the dots if you can't. And what about the uprisal of the black clad ninja gang? The timing doesn't strike you as odd? "

" That was because he knew I would be away." Ron shot back quickly. Again Kim looked at him sadly like he was a mental patient.

" Who is this 'he' Ron? All I see here is you and me. " Kim stated back plainly. The statement had more of an impact on Ron then he thought it would. Everything had been going by so quickly, as if this whole mission was a tower under construction. A tower put together with such haste that Kim's simple words could strike the corner stone and tumble it all. " Ron, you got all your information from that school and Sensei. Why are they any more of a reliable source than my sources? " Kim's sentence ended in quiet depression. To her Tim ,her source, had only died minutes ago.

" I took a test, I ...I became one with the earth, and that is my source. " Ron said defiantly. For the first time in a long time his voice was covered in false confidence.

" Tim died for you Ron..." Kim choked out. She sniffled for a minute and then continued. " He...for you Ron...So the least you can do is do what I told you. Check on your precious school and there actions. Have Wade help you, or anyone else. Except for Shego. " Kim said the last part with an icy expression in her wet eyes.

" Wh...wait, she's not a bad person KP." Ron pleaded more than stated.

" She's drugging you Ron. She has been since you met." Kim said shaking her head. It was an admission she was reluctant to give up. As if she herself had doubts about it. " I guess you can test your blood too, if your monkey magic crap fails to notice."

" You're being ridiculous KP." Ron giggled a bit nervously. He had expected her to be brainwashed with crazy ideas. But all of this was too much. " Just forget all that Kim. What about you? What about us? We'll always be friends right? " Ron could hear his words but felt weak saying them. In her presence he could feel himself regress.

" You go fix yourself, and maybe we can talk. I've got things to do. " Kim said while laying back. Her resolve had turned to stone, her dismissal of him was absolute.

" KP stop this your ac..."

" Like I said Ron, Tim was killed in efforts to wake you up, in an attmept to capture and interrogate the Black Clad Ninja Gang. The least you can do for him is check his research. And the least you could do for me is get the hell out. " Kim's voice stung Ron to his core.

" Why are you doing this Kim? " Ron pleaded.

" That's a good question, in fact I can't go more than twenty minutes without asking myself the same thing. Because frankly, I never thought I would be doing this for you. I shouldn't have to. " Kim closed her eyes waiting for him to go away.

" It's not fair, you being mad at me Kim. You don't understand. " Again Ron pleaded.

" No Ron, I understand perfectly. The day you came back from that school is the day you started keeping secrets from me. And although you later spoke up about it, you still kept things from me. And if you had just let me in from the beginning, whatever problems you have now, we would be handling them together. Leave me alone, go back to that...that.. women. " Kim turned her head to look out the window. Ron tried to say something back. But he couldn't, he couldn't think of anything that he hadn't already said. Besides the fact that some of what Kim was saying was true. Ron had started keeping secrets from her that day he returned. And it was that little world that he kept from her. The same little world that was in question now. But even after he proved Sensei's innocence, it wouldn't be enough. Tim's death had been the last straw. If anything, Kim was trying to help Ron for Tim's sake. And no amount of words or actions could change her mind at that moment. Everything started to make sense now. The impact of Tim's possible death had secured Kim's position on the battlefield. And Ron had to accept that she was lost to him.

" I love you KP. " Ron said truthfully. No matter their relationship status ,which was apparently in unrepairable tatters, Ron would always have a deep love for his old friend. And in case he couldn't bring her back, he at least wanted her to know that. Kim turned to look back at the young man.

" I love you Ron Stoppable, even if you don't see it. " Kim turned back towards the window. Ron had to admit that he was impressed with his foe. This outcome couldn't have turned out any better for 'his' side. Kim felt exactly the same way about Ron that Ron felt about her. Kim truly thought that Ron was lost, and wanted to bring him back. Without another word the young man walked out of the room. He rounded a corner but didn't show up in the other hallway as he teleported out of the hospital.

* * *

><p>Over the next several weeks things were a blur at the compound. The construction crew came and went, leaving behind some offices and expanding a couple rooms. A staff came on board mostly comprised of kitchen and garden workers. After that came more vehicles and equipment. Soon the lockers in the basement were full and labeled for various members. Ron's beat up old truck was now surrounded by a mixture of fancy sports cars and heavily plated assault vehicles. A reinforced helicopter pad was erected on the roof top, a shiny black helicopter sat on the platform.<p>

Tensions between Ron and Shego had been strained. The two rarely spoke to each other and when they did the conversation was kept short and to the point. Wade even noticed although decided best to keep out of it. Rufus on the other hand tried various little schemes to get the two talking again but so far all had ended in failure. The mole rat felt a child that was handed back and forth between a divorced couple.

Finally the day came when the new recruits arrived. A small group of five people gathered in the main entry way, looking around with awe. Shego and Ron where in the commons area hiding from the group. They were in the middle of yet another debate, this time about who would greet them.

" I don't how to do this civilly, I'll chase them away." Shego said in a harsh whisper.

" The plan was that you're the leader. My presence is on the DL remember?" Ron whispered back annoyed. Shego smiled back a little. It had been her little secret that arguing with Ron gave her composure. As she had noticed, it was the only time that he relaxed and acted more like his old self. Thankfully it was a balance of his old self and his new maturity. It was another reason why Shego had been so hostile towards Ron as of late.

" We go out together or not at all..." Shego threatened. Ron responded with a befuddled expression then nodded back firmly. However as soon as Shego stepped out into view she could feel the familiar feeling of Ron's teleportation. She didn't even need to turn around to see his stupid blue rings that he left behind. Without any signs of hesitation Shego strolled into the entry way. She was greeted by stunned silence.

" Hey kids how are we doing today? " Shego chimed in with over the top sweetness. The small group looked back mutely. Shego's eyes traveled over all of them waiting for a response that never came. Finally she dropped the act and did what she did best. " Alright kids this is how this works, first off is there anyone here under the age of eighteen? " One young man in the back raised his hand. " Okay you go to Wade's office, it's that way." Shego pointed towards a newly erected hallway that ran parallel to the library. " Last door on the left." Shego waited for the young man to make his exit. A young girl raised her hand. Shego hesitated and looked curiously at the brown haired girl. " Yes?"

" Is this the organization that's affiliated with Kim Possible? " The young girl asked, her voice was surprisingly strong inspite of her intimidated demeanor. " I just ask cause I'm doing this to boost my college resume."

" Okay that's fair. This is an expanded version of Team Possible. Kimmi, Kim however passed the torch on some time ago. I'll tell you guys the lay out and you can go see Wade for specifics." Shego finished quickly. " In fact, " Shego said suddenly seeing a way out, " why don't you all go check in upstairs and we'll go over everything over dinner tonight. " Shego wrapped things up from there, giving quick directions as she did so.

" Is Ron Stoppable here? " A young man with blonde haired asked. He had remained behind and was apparently teamed up with the young brown haired girl who had asked about Kim earlier. While thinking about a response the young brown haired girl spoke up.

" Ron's dead Jackson, let it go. " The brown haired girl put a comforting hand on Jackson's shoulder as she spoke. Shego stared at the two in mild shock. ' Oh right...maybe Ron had a point..' Shego admitted to herself. Still Jackson eyed Shego as if she would provide some heart relieving information.

" I'm sorry, Jackson is it? " The young man nodded back. " Ron Stoppable isn't with us. "

* * *

><p>" Your parents signed a release and you'll be in the office down the way mostly helping me out. So you're all set. " Wade said shaking the young man's hand over his desk. " Shego should be out in the entry way to show you your room, bye Charlie. " Again Wade nodded and the young man stepped out. After a moment of silence Wade went back to his computer.<p>

" You rang? " Ron's voice descended upon Wade. The young man didn't even bother to look up. He had learned from experience that Ron took pleasure in walking on ceilings and sneaking up on people in the same manner. It bothered Ron a little that Wade had become so casual about it.

" I looked up that account you asked about. Where did it come from? " Wade asked while still looking at this computer screen.

" Sorry Wade, it's sort of a need to know basis right now. " Ron said looking up, or rather down on Wade.

" I did a lot of digging and who ever owns this account is bad news. " Ron looked back shocked at Wade's news.

" What exactly is bad news? " Ron asked.

" Well all the deposits are linked to men with power and are dated around the same time those same men with power had someone involved with them die. If I had to make a guess, which I don't because I'm a genuis, I'd say this account belongs to some assassin service or hit squad. " Ron was speechless, his eyes just wandered around the room absently. " What's weird though, is that there is a pattern of this that goes on over eighty years. They've been doing this for a while. " Wade just stared at his computer screen reviewing the account, he failed to notice Ron's sudden distress.

" Double check it I have to go. " Ron disappeared before Wade could object.

* * *

><p>Shego stalked the hallways heading towards the 'hidden' office of Ron Stoppable. She was getting rather tired of his constant disappearing act. Although it wasn't only that, the intrusion of the new recruits had given Shego an all too familiar alien feeling. Talking with Ron would hopefully dilute that feeling. Shego didn't bother knocking, instead just opening the door. As usual Ron sat in a meditating stance, however this time he was on the ceiling.<p>

" Pretenses of stealth? " Shego asked as she looked up at him. She closed the door behind her and turned back to Ron, who was now standing in front of her.

" I like you..." Ron said slowly. Shego blushed back.

" I'm beautiful and smart and hilarious, what's not to like? " Shego joked back, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the conversation. Ron continued to stare at her.

" That's the problem. I don't know why I like you. It's as if I'm being influenced or forced to like you. " Ron said this while still eyeing Shego curiously. He failed to noticed the anger building up in Shego.

" Ron. You're an ass. No, not an ass. You're the ass. You're what people are compared to when they are called an ass. " Shego vented heatedly. Ron didn't seem to notice. They stood there in silence just staring at each other until Shego remembered why she had come in the first place. " They think you're dead, so you'll probably want to keep it that way. And to be honest I'm at a loss with all this recruitment stuff, so if I can rely on you for help that would be great." She turned around and exited the room, not waiting for a response. Ron looked at the door, to say he was confused would be an understatement.

The concept that Kim could be right was a chilling one. And yet every time Ron turned around another piece of Kim's story added up. And his 'mission' seemed more far fetched. Still there were a few things that Ron was certian about. First off, his time with the earth was the most intense thing he had ever experienced, and his new found knowledge from it was undeniable. Secondly was that this Tim character showed up at exactly the right moment. If anything it was all too convenient. Thirdly Ron had come to terms with the fact that he wasn't working for the side of 'good'. Rather this conflict didn't have such labels. But that very concept made Ron's situation seem worse. And now he couldn't make contact with Sensei, which left him lost. With wavering resolve Ron decided to take the final test. It killed him to give into such grand paranoia. But with everything else coming out against him, Ron decided it was time to have Wade test his blood.

* * *

><p>For the first time since the compound had been occupied by Team Possible the cafeteria had more than two people in it. The small group of recruits sat at the table, talking within their small groups or eating silently. Shego joined them later in the evening, after getting caught up in her frustrations and training. The two went hand in hand, the more Shego was frustrated the harder she trained. After thirty minutes or so of dinner and light chatter Shego stood up to make an announcement.<p>

" I'm sure that most of you have introduced yourselves. I'd like to make a quick go around so you all know who you are working with. " Everyone at the table exchanged glances. The introductions went by uneventful until Shego came across Jackson.

" Jackson Hoff? " Shego asked more than announced. Jackson stood up and nodded humbly. A soft giggle rang out from above which went unnoticed by all but Shego. She ignored the intrusion and continued. " Po Archer." The young girl who accompanied Jackson gave a nod. " And that's everybody. You all have you're own jobs and specialties so...whether you're here for the money or the job skills or whatever thanks." Shego held a half smile waiting for everyone to leave. No one moved. " Now please get out of here. " The congress at the table looked back at her with shock. Some grumbling and some just annoyed they all got up and made their exit. After Shego was sure she was the only one left on the floor she turned around and looked up at Ron. He was hanging from the vaulted ceiling forty feet in the air. " Why don't you come down here so I can tell you how stupid you are." Shego motioned with her finger at the ground as she spoke.

" As you wish. " Ron said as he dropped from the ceiling and half flipped to land on the floor. His actions didn't make a sound which by now Shego was used to. Shego looked her young friend over and couldn't help but smile. He seemed a little like he used to, more relaxed, and openly friendly. Ron's playful nature immediately rubbed off on her, like a sickness.

" So what set the ninja master off? I mean to lose yourself like that it had to be pretty funny. " Shego inquired with a glowing smile.

" Well only that ol Jackson has the best name ever!" Ron shot back with a sideways grin. Shego looked a bit off at his comment, she failed to see the humor in it.

" I'm not quite sure I follow you there..." Shego responded.

" The boy's name is Jack Hoff! Hey!" Ron started in full laughter after his exclamation. Shego tried to be the mature one but between his laughing fit and the absurdity of being named 'Jack Hoff' by your parents was too much to bare. The two shared a laugh together for the first time in a long time.

" You look good when you laugh. " Ron said with crimson still in his cheeks from his laugh. The laughing crimson in Shego's cheeks hid her blush.

" You act like you're twelve, stalking around here and laughing at people's names. It's ridiculous. " Shego teasingly said back. Ron shrugged the comment off like he had no excuses. " What's up Ron? you've been hot and cold with me ever since you got back." Shego's eyes contained a twinkle as she eyed the object of her hidden affections.

" I guess I've decided to let go of what I can't control and just let things happen. Not to mention that all this might be pointless anyways.." Ron said. Shego missed the last part, too excited to focus on Ron's whole sentence.

" So how did I do with them? " Shego asked while pointing at the exit for the cafeteria.

" I liked the 'get the fuck out' part. " Ron said back keeping a straight face. Shego scoffed back at him.

" I didn't say it like that. I didn't say fuck! " Shego started to laugh at her retort. The laughter however quickly died down and the two of them just ended up in the room alone looking at one another. Shego's head tilted down but her eyes looked up at Ron as she felt tender thoughts of him. Ron felt the same way, boldy standing straight while getting lost in her eyes. Ron could feel how Shego felt, and in an effort to be fair, let his own guard down and let his emotions flow out over her.

" Ron, how long are you going to be like this? " Shego asked tenderly. Ron smiled back gently, and gave a light shrug.

" Are you trying to get something out of my good mood?" Ron asked back, his tone suggestive. Shego looked down for a second and then looked back up at him. Her eyes now twice as mesmerizing to Ron.

" Maybe you can show me some of that teriyaki taijitsu? " Shego's glance changed to mischevous as her grin turned sinister. Ron felt a mixture of disappointment and relief as she changed the direction of their conversation.

" Alright, but just the basics." Ron's response came as a surprise to Shego, before she could respond however Ron continued. " I'll meet you downstairs in ten minutes, try to put on something a little more..."

" Form fitting?" Shego dangerously interrupted. A glimmer of thought traced across Ron's eyes, but his focus came back.

" Suitable for training. Something a little more suitable for training."

* * *

><p>" That's good!" Ron commented on Shego's amazing progress. The training had picked up pretty easily for her considering it was more or less just an advanced form of igniting her hands, something Shego had been doing for some time now.<p>

" Alright I think I got it, let's fight!" Shego thrust a lightning speed strike at Ron's stomache before he could protest. To the black haired girl's surprise, she made contact. Ron flew across the training mat and had to quarter flip himself so his feet caught his impact against the far wall. The wood splintered around his bare feet as they embedded into the wall. " Oh my God I'm sorry Ro..." Shego stopped short when Ron suddenly dissapeared, his signature blue rings resonating in the air. She was now on full alert as she scanned the room for her opponent. An invisible trickling sensation started to envelope her body, as if she was wearing a blind fold and had no way of seeing the next attack coming. She turned around at the sound of a light wooden rattle. Shego side stepped a bo staff as it flew past her legs.

" Aiming for my legs? I'm tougher than that!" Shego regretted the words as they came out of her mouth. This time it was a sword from the wall to her left. Although after moving out of the way Shego could see that it wouldn't have hit her if she stayed still. " Come on Ron, fight me like a man." Shego mocked as she kicked herself and her big mouth.

Suddenly a blue light exploded in front of her and Ron's figure came out of it. His punch was slow and Shego easily blocked it, but as they locked forearms Shego's body exploded with pain. With a rough grunt she fell back a step while cradling her arm. Ron continued with another slow punch aimed at her abdomen. Shego flipped over him, this time avoiding the attack all together. In the peak of her flip she sent out an enflamed foot at Ron's head which he caught with ease. The room became a swirl to Shego as Ron swung her around. The sudden feeling she felt when he let go was terrifying. Simple directions like up and down or left and right ceased to exist for the young women in that briefest of moments. Out of panic Shego lit her whole body with cyan flames, and to her surpise it worked. The crash into the wall was terrible, and to make things worse there was a concrete wall behind the thick wooden panels. And though she did embed a bit into the concrete, the pain was very minimal. Shego carefully pushed out of her entombment checking her body as she did so. Nothing was broken or out of place.

" Great. That's all I'm going to teach you." Ron stated back calmly. Shego was still too stunned at her miraculous state of being to respond. Ron waited patiently letting her shock subside.

" Wait, it's been like four hours." Shego said breaking her stunned composure. Ron just looked back at her and shrugged.

" I thought it would take you more time to get to this point. But hey, guess you're a natural." Ron replied as he started to pick up the various weapons that had fallen onto the floor. Shego didn't seem satisfied with his response.

" Well if I'm such a damn natural then teach me some more." She shot out heatedly. Ron acted as if he didn't hear her and continued to pick up the mess. Shego thought of some kind of physical provocation but quickly thought against it. Instead she just crossed her arms and huffed. Ron stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his face filled with minor conflict.

" It's like riding a bike, I helped you get the training wheels off is all. With time you'll grow and get better. What matters is that you discover your own limits, and if I keep pushing you we might just blow right past them. " Shego opened her mouth to object. " Which means you'd be dead." Ron finished. All complaints ceased at that point.

" Hey guys there's someone approaching the compound, actually there are two of them. " Wade's voice echoed through the room over the intercom.

" Wade what time is it?" Shego asked the ceiling.

" Ten past one. What do you want me to do about our guests?" Wade responded.

" I want you get your ass back in bed young man." Shego said with an amused sneer. " And I'll go talk to our guests." Shego dusted herself off and headed upstairs. Ron silently watched her walk away. His primal urge to look at her butt won over. After she walked up the stairs with exaggerated hip movement Ron looked up at the ceiling.

" Wade you still there? " Ron's voice rang out in the empty room.

" Yes, I got the results." Wade's voice came back.

" And? " Ron simply asked.

" You're not going to like it."

* * *

><p>Author's note* Thanks again to all who review and read. This work is devoted to all writers and readers of fanfiction. Mostly the writers though. (Sorry) I'd like to apologize about the length of this chapter, I know it's kinda short but I've been very busy lately. I will be busy for the next couple weeks so expect long delays between the next two chapters. Thanks again everyone and have a good day. Comments always welcome.<p> 


	8. Part VIII The Fury

Shego stood out on the lawn with confidence in every inch of her demeanor. The intruders would be in sight any minute now. But it apparently was no longer her concern for Ron Stoppable blew past her in a sprint. As she watched the young man run by she couldn't help but acknowledge how alien it looked. With a little more thought Shego concluded that she was accustomed to Ron using teleportation as his usual mode of transport. She swept aside the nagging sensation that something was off with Ron and picked up a jaunt to catch up with him.

When Shego had caught up with Ron he was in an intense conversation with two people who appeared of Japanese descent. One of them , a woman, was embossed in a series of tatters and cuts and from what Shego could make out looked like she had a limp. The other , a young man, was also cut up but not as severely as his counter part. Shego distinctly picked up the japanese dialect that was being exchanged between the two parties. After a minute or so of exclusion the two interlopers looked at Shego as one and uttered something that sounded like a request of Ron. As Shego watched Ron's gaze settle upon her she couldn't help but feel a chill. The playful, lovable Ron she had known only moments ago seemed to have all but vanished. Now replaced with that cold machine of a man he had become. But Shego could swear there was more to his look this time, almost as if it was accusatory.

It was Ron's gaze that night that set the tone for the next several weeks. Yori was bedridden with Ron and Ryu spending their time in there with her or out on missions together. Shego had tried to include herself several times but would be coldly rejected by the participants of the room. It was with reluctance that Shego had decided to move on. If anything she needed a project to keep her thoughts in check.

* * *

><p>Po Archer sat in the study going through an interesting science book she had found on the shelf several hours ago. She had preceded to take notes and became so absorbed in the act that she failed to notice Shego's entrance.<p>

" Whatcha doin? " Shego spoke out a little too casual. Po failed to acknowledge the intruder, assuming that she was addressing someone else. " I'm sorry, Par is it? " Shego's usual mock tone surfaced ten fold. Po looked up now at Shego, a slight frown creased her forehead.

" It's Po Ma'm, " Shego cringed at the ma'm part, " and I'm reading. Was there something you wanted? " Po spoke in a flat, uninterested tone. It was obvious to Shego from day one that this girl was looking forward to meeting and perhaps working along side Kim Possible. Which in turn made Shego's presence obviously unwanted. Shego took in a deep breath to readdress the situation.

" I'm sorry Po, I was walking by and couldn't help but notice you in here by yourself. " Shego said back calmly. She swelled with pride at her own sense of composure.

" I generally tend to study alone." Po replied. " How do you like to study? " Po asked. A smirk graced her face as she did so. Shego squinted back at the small source of annoyance with harmful intent.

" Look kid I'm not here to study with you, I just thought..."

" That you're lonely? " Po cut in. Shego's first thought was to snap back with anger and rage, but a different approach shot through her mind.

" Well yeah, lonely. I mean with Kimmie heading off on her own I've got no one to hang out with. " Shego's tone as she spoke was one of self pity and overplayed sorrow.

" You're telling me you got tired of getting your butt kicked?" Po asked like a natural born smartass. Again Shego had to settle herself down. For one reason or another this was important to her.

" Well I don't know if you know this but Kim and I have had a deeper relationship than the occasional fist fight. In fact we even went shopping together on an occasion or two. " Shego omitted the part that she had her brain messed with at the time. Po looked back skeptically. Shego could see the little wheels turning inside the girl's head. " But you're right, I have had a bad track record and there is no reason why you should take me seriously. " Shego shrugged and walked out dejectedly. It took her about six steps until Po's voice echoed behind her.

" Hold on a sec!" Po's figure rounded the library corner and practically bumped into Shego. The young girl looked up sternly into Shego's eyes trying to read the older woman. " Were you seriously friends with Kim Possible? "

" No we were never friends. " Po's expression flattened with disappointment. " I'm saying that because I don't want you to feel like I'm lying to you. " Shego paused which Po used as a chance to open her mouth. " But I can say for sure that I knew a side of Kimmie better than anyone else. And Kim and I did have a special relationship. " Shego's last comment forced Po to stop from interrupting. " Besides it's not like I know all her moves or anything..." Po looked at Shego in silence for a minute while she digested what she had just heard.

" Look I'm kinda done studying anyways. You think maybe you could show me some stuff? "

* * *

><p>And so it went that everyday for several hours Shego and Po would train. The two rarely spoke to one another, Po always keeping her distance while Shego didn't really care. She was just glad to have someone around. Wade had been stolen by Charles, and Ron by his Japanese friends. Rufus too had become scarce, losing himself in the enormity of the compound day in and day out. So for Shego the presence of an acquaintance was enough.<p>

" Like this? " Po inquired as she held her leg out in front of her chest.

" You got the leg part right but you need to lean back more, otherwise when you miss you'll fly forward. " Shego aligned Po's posture as she spoke. " Just like that." She stepped back and admired her little pupil.

" uh, hello ladies. " The quiet voice of Jackson Hoff interrupted the training session. Like it did every day around three. Shego just walked towards her bag to grab some water.

" Hey Jacks, gimme a minute? " Po replied. Jackson gave an unsteady nod back and pulled his head out of the room. Shego turned around with mild surprise to find Po still there.

" What's up kiddo? " Shego said with mock sarcasm. Po looked up at Shego with an expression of indecision. Assuming the worst Shego cut in. " You'll be doing great on your own and I have other responsibilities so we couldn't keep up this training schedule anyway. " Shego said coldly. It wasn't that she felt hurt or even rejected, rather she felt it was about time for the inevitable departure to happen. It seemed that any good company she kept was bound to take off. But to her surprise Po shook her head back fiercely.

" No! " Po's cheeks started to burn as she realized how loudly she had spoken, " I mean, I wanted to thank you. You've been ," Po looked away and started to scratch her arm, " you've been great. And I'm very grateful. " Po let out a nervous sigh as she finished. It occurred to Shego that this moment might make Po feel vulnerable.

" I should be thanking you. For giving me a chance and all. " Shego said back quietly. The words had truth in them but Shego was very proud after all. A look of relief came across Po and she looked back up at Shego and smiled. Shego smiled back and the two had their own little moment.

" Can I ask you something? " Po chimed in officially ending the moment.

" Sure. " Shego said steadily. A thousand possibilities of what the girl's question would be ran through her mind.

" Why were you evil? " Po's voice was soft, as if the question was a secret. Shego let out a sigh of relief and chuckled to herself.

" Oh well that's easy. When you're different people don't like you, they think the worst of you. So naturally you lash out. All it takes is one time. One time to lash out. And from there you've been labeled for life. I didn't suddenly decide one day 'hey I'll be evil!' rather it was a steady build up. And when you are as stubborn as I am you stick with your choices and don't look back. " Shego finished up and looked back at her pupil, wondering what the girl thought.

" Well I guess that makes sense. But didn't it make you feel bad? Hurting those people I mean? " Po's voice was still quiet but her questions showed that she felt more comfortable interrogating Shego.

" I didn't start by hurting people. And when I did start I didn't look at it like I was hurting them. I felt like I was giving them back what they gave me. " Shego stopped and turned her head to make eye contact with Po, her eyes suddenly taking on a serious tone. " And it felt good. "

Between Shego's statement and the weight of her gaze Po couldn't help but look away and cringe a bit. Po had no illusions, she knew that Shego was a powerful force.

" So if it felt 'so good' then why did you stop? " Po continued to look away from Shego, afraid that she might see or hear something she didn't want to.

" Well as I'm sure you know I was granted amnesty, and from there I decided to let go. " Shego replied.

" Let go? " Po asked.

" The hate. I decided to let go of the hate. Of course it took some time and I still have some issues but for the most part I feel better. About a lot of things. " Shego was now sitting on the bench freely swinging her legs. " Anything else? " Po hesitated while she still recovered from what she thought was a close call. After a few silent seconds she spoke.

" How did you end up doing the exact opposite? " This time Po made eye contact with her question.

" I don't know it just sorta fell into place.? I mean I missed the action too, not to mention the perks, I mean the list goes on and on. " Shego stammered out her answer which in turn attracted Po's attention.

" Was there 'anything' else? " Po's question was forceful. Shego let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

" I was chasing someone I guess. Rather this seemed like the best way to get closer to them. " Shego admitted deftly.

" You mean like a boy! " Po almost screeched her statement/question.

" Yes you could say it was for a 'man'." Shego corrected still a little insecure about Ron's age.

" So who is he? " The inevitable question flowed from Po. Her demeanor was that of a highschool girl dishing gossip. It was a little thick for Shego's taste.

" That..." Shego paused to find a polite way to say ' go away', " will have to wait until next time. Now run off little Po. " Shego said. Po shrugged with a bubbly attitude and made her exit. The concept of a love story seemed to have a power over Po's young mind.

* * *

><p>Ron looked on in silence at the t.v. screen. The caption had read " Aliens Upon US! ". The aircraft that was on the screen was admittedly impressive, but hardly alien. Ryu stepped up next to Ron and watched the t.v. screen.<p>

" You think it's him? " Ryu asked. Ron tilted his head in response deep in thought.

" If I was him, I would try to stall our meeting. Or make it never happen. Though he's got to acknowledge that it wouldn't be possible for that to happen. " Ron answered back flatly. Ryu nodded his head in agreement.

" But how is this meeting destined to happen Stoppable Sensei? If you can't find him now, then how could you find him later? " Ryu's english was precise but laced with his accent.

" Ryu I'll confine in you this. He's leaving a trail behind. And with time the trail gets stronger. The fact is that as him and I come into our own and grow we'll soon run out of room. Maybe it was 'their' intention to make the earth not big enough for the both of us. " Ron answered back. The answer was one of the few truths Ron found confidence in. While he still had his doubts about the school, it was all a moot point at this time. When Ryu and Yori had come to him, it was out of desperation. The school had come under attack, by none other than the black clad ninja gang. While the school had a little of a struggle to repel them, the attackers had with them a fighter of fierce ability. So fierce that he dispatched Sensei in front of Ryu and Yori's very eyes. ' Yori' Ron thought as he looked back in the corner of the room to see the sleeping woman. He wasn't sure what had happened to her, but she was fading. When they first arrived at the compound Yori could talk a little but mostly recanted the story of the fall of the Yamouchi School. It was with serious doubt and regret that Ron began to give up on healing his old friend and focusing on the task at hand. It was a hard truth to accept for Ron that even with his help her body wouldn't hold out.

" So what's the plan? " Shego burst into the room her face filled with glee. Ryu turned in shock while Ron remained statue like.

" Plan about what Shego? " Ron asked shortly. Shego frowned a bit at his negative attitude towards her, something that had become routine.

" How bout the flying airship with the missile tits looking hull barreling through the sky?" Shego exclaimed incredulously. A slight smile hit Ron's face which in turn got Shego to giggle. But Ron couldn't bring himself to laugh this time. However he was a glutton for punishment so he forced himself to look at her. ' She's so damn beautiful, of course it was all a trap. ' Ron thought to himself. Shego looked back and saw a longing mixed with sadness in Ron's eyes. She couldn't figure out what was going on in his head, nor feel it either.

" Recon, but keep it light and keep it safe. Ryu and I will come from the other way keeping our distance. If our dear friend is in there I don't need him knowing where I'm at. " Ron ordered. Still a little confused from his earlier reactions Shego mutely nodded back and left the room.

" Stoppable Sensei, what is 'miss-ul tittts'? " Ryu asked. This time Ron couldn't help but laugh. With every chuckle Ron couldn't help but hurt. After all Wade had found a toxin in his system that made him susceptible to suggestions. A toxin that traced back through his hairs to a few years ago. When he met Shego. Combine that with the 'coincidental' appearances of Shego throughout the years and it all added up. From their fight in Bumble Springs to Shego working with Wade. And of course when Rufus disappeared with her, as if he was insurance. And through it all she was now sitting in his very home. Ron's base of operations. What got Ron most of all was that he couldn't sense betrayal or any of that from her. In fact the thought that Shego was a puppet had crossed his mind on several occasions. Whatever the case Ron had decided to use her against his foe. Unfortunately Ron was still too attached for that. So with patience he waited until he could turn the tables. ' Dammit!' Ron thought to himself as a fresh image of Shego popped into his head. He excused himself from the room so that he could have a minute alone.

" She's so damn convincing..." Ron uttered to himself as he washed his face. " There was no way he could have planned you bonding with her. " Ron said to himself in the mirror.

" If it happens once it's an accident, twice it's a coincidence, three times ..." Ron trailed off.

" It's an enemy attack. " Mirror Ron conceited. " Hey didn't you get that off an anime? "

" Yeah maybe, but it's still cool right? " Ron asked.

" Yes it is. And it's good to see that I'm still here. " Mirror Ron beamed back with a smile.

" Holy shit I'm going nuts. " Ron stated. Mirror Ron leaned forward aggressive like.

" Your parents took you to that therapist and he said this was a natural way for you to work out your complicated emotions. " Mirror Ron shot back heatedly.

" Yeah but I'm twenty now. " Ron replied calmly.

" And there's a girl who is getting rejected because of your paranoia. "

" I don't think it's paranoia. " Ron retorted.

" The first step of recovery..." Ron walked out of the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Shego coasted along the road on her motorcycle doing a little zig zag pattern as she did so. Getting out of the compound was exactly what she needed. ' This is exactly what I needed! ' Shego thought to herself excitedly. Her bike blew past a green Pruis which had been fit with armor plating. The occupants inside were none other than Po Archer and Jackson Hoff.<p>

" Got your seat belt on? " Po asked Jackson as she began to punch it. Unfortunately the engine had yet to be modified so it was with slight embarrassment that Po let off the gas and resumed coasting.

" Do I need it on? " Jackson teased.

" Shut up. " Po shot back. " Hey what's that? " Po squinted down the road trying to make out the figures ahead.

" That would be a big ol aircraft. " Jackson supplied. Po shook her head and pointed directly in front of them.

" That! There's people...fighting. " Po nearly jumped up and down in her seat, hungry for combat.

Shego looked at the battle that she was rapidly approaching. At the time all she could make out was swarms of the Black Clad Ninja Gang. But a glimmer of a familiar red head shot past the street tearing through the ranks of Ninja. Shego's heart skipped as she realized the impact this could have on her young rather pre nubile 'recon' unit.

" Po you there? " Shego's voice rang out through the Pruis.

" Yeah." Po said loudly not sure where to direct her voice. To Jackson it looked kind of odd.

" Good. Pull back, now. " Shego's voice was firm. Po scowled back as the command registered.

" Wait wh..."

" Pull out or I'll do it for you! " Shego threatened as she cut Po off. With an angry jerk on the wheel Po pulled the car over and came to a halt. " Good, I'll contact you guys if I need you. "

Shego clicked off the mic and kicked the motorcycle back in gear. The high pitch whine of the engine echoed off the buildings and lifted the hairs on the back of Shego's neck. The excitement of battle began to overwhelm her. Within seconds she couldn't take it anymore and ditched the bike opting to sail through the air from a carefully timed jump. The wind enveloped Shego whipping at her battle suit and hair as she reach the pinnacle of her jump. The victims below didn't have a chance.

* * *

><p>Ron and Ryu continued to jump from roof top to roof top making their way around the large aircraft. The mammoth air machine had been dormant for several hours now. News reports spread far that large quantities of the Black Clad Ninja Gang poured out of the ship and began wreaking havoc on the city below. From what Ron could see and sense the reports were true. Ron felt out some more and soon came upon the familiar presence of Kim Possible. And naturally he sensed Shego not too far from her.<p>

" Ryu my friend, sometimes you just have to let go...Right? " Ron turned towards his ninja comrade.

" It's not control that your holding onto Stoppable Sensei, it's the fear of losing control. Let that go and all will be fine. " Ryu said back solemnly. Ron made the expression he always does when he's lost in thought.

" Yeah I guess so." Ron and Ryu looked back at the airship. The sheer size of the unit was mesmerizing. " So did you get that from a fortune cookie or something? " Ron couldn't let it go. Ryu looked back some what surprised.

" The fortune cookie, is an American invention Stoppable Sensei. Also, I'm not Chinese. " Ryu said back plainly. Ron let out a short laugh in response.

" No shit, well how bout that." Ron shook his head then adjusted his mask back over his face. " Alright let's find a way to crack this bitch shall we? " Ron lept off with incredible strength sailing far outside of Ryu's distance. Ryu couldn't help but notice that Ron was getting to be more like his old self. A smile beset the ninja's face and he jumped off to follow his master.

* * *

><p>Shego finished another group of opponents and turned to assess the scene. She had lost sight of Kimmie several minutes ago. However it wasn't too hard to find her, just follow the bodies. Shego couldn't help but notice as she passed the ninja victims how badly they were injured. Bones weren't just broken, they were exposed. A combination of blood, teeth, and vomit littered the streets. It was getting to a point that Shego herself started to feel nauseous. As she rounded the corner she saw her.<p>

" Well if it isn't my red headed whale. " Shego said to herself grimly. The fear from their last meeting still resided in her gut. Shego doubted now would be any different. If not kill her, Kim would leave her toothless and possibly paralyzed. Shego approached Kim who was now surrounded by unconscious bodies. That is except for the ninja who she had pinned down.

" Where is this Sensei guy? " Kim asked coldly. The only reaction from the ninja was a head shake. Kim brought her finger down into his shoulder and to Shego's surprise pierced his flesh. Blood shot up and covered Kim's hand which already had dried blood on it. The ninja screamed back in agony as Kim twisted her finger around.

" Jesus Kimmie you're a big ol' bowl of crazy!" Shego exclaimed as she watched the torture. Kim's head whipped around and locked onto Shego. Her expression changed from angry to excited.

" I knew I'd find you here." Kim said happily. The way she spoke was almost like she was singing, dragging out the 'here'. Shego stepped back cautiously, completely taken back by Kim's demeanor. Suddenly the joy Shego had sought with this encounter started to dwindle away. This was not her old nemesis. Rather it was the same shell filled with entirely different contents. A sudden rage came over Shego. The fact that she was cheated of her revenge dawned on her. The tables had turned and now Shego was the good guy. And yet it didn't matter because Kim was too far gone to notice.

" I hate you so bad." Shego was now visibly shaking with anger. Kim's response was a light chuckle as she lowered her head getting ready for a lunge. Shego was ready this time however, and she took no chances as cyan flames erupted around her, flaring out at various parts of her body at random intervals while the rest of the energy composed cloak clung tightly to her form. Kim didn't seem to notice or she just didn't care. She did however lunge forward at lightning speed.

" That's it! " Shego said excitedly as she actually made out her opponent this time. The red flash that was Kim Possible overcame Shego's form sending both girls back. However when things slowed down and they skidded to a halt it was Shego with the upper hand, with Kim's attacking foot in her hands. Shego pulled back bringing Kim towards her off balance. In turn Kim received a thunderous head butt and would have flown back but Shego held onto her leg firmly. Kim's head bobbled back and forth for a second until Shego continued her attack with a viscous punch to side of Kim's head. Again Shego held onto the leg and pulled her opponent back for another blow. This time however Kim thrashed out wildly. The move lacked grace or discipline but it did the trick. With fear of getting caught by one of Kim's wild hammer blows Shego let go and stepped back. She then stepped forward into a quick hop and delivered a side kick which caught Kim square in the abdomen. The red head flew back and landed in a piled heap about thirty feet away. As soon as she recovered however Shego noticed a clarity in her eyes that wasn't there before.

" Hey Kimmie! Looks like the blood lust finally wore off. " Shego said in a teasing tone. The black haired women was actually out to test Kim's sanity, not sure where the younger woman's mind was at.

" SHeGO! " Kim's eyes were tightly shut as she shrieked the name. It seemed that Kim was a little more coherent. Shego watched as Kim started to look around and assess the situation.

" What are you doing here? " Shego asked plainly. Her normal torturous nature was all but gone once she realized that picking on Kim would be too easy. " Kim? " Shego said slowly. Kim looked around some more like a feral animal that had been cornered. It scared Shego to see the young girl this way. Mostly because to Shego it just didn't make sense.

" I'm going to that airship. To stop the Ninja Gang. And avenge Tim. " Kim finally said back although her words seemed more directed towards herself then to Shego.

" Kimmie you gonna be okay? " Shego asked this time with an empty tone. It wasn't in her nature to care about her nemesis. But her new found self combined with the special circumstances just sort of made the question pop out.

" Go somewhere else whore! " Kim shot back as she started off on a stumble towards the airship. Shego was not bothered nor taken back by the comment. The confusing state that Kim Possible was in remained Shego's number one focus. ' If she goes, she'll probably die. ' Shego thought to herself. And then it happened, a tug of war enacted in Shego's mind. While there was a risk to stopping Kim, Shego was confident that she could. But if Shego did nothing... ' why now.' Shego opened her mouth to say something but stopped and just stared instead. Her mind bouncing back and forth.

" Kim Possible! " Po shouted from down the street. Shego whipped her head around and watch as her young training partner ran up the street towards the deranged red head.

" Po Back Off. " Shego said harshly. But Po ignored her. So a game of follow the leader began. Kim picked up her pace in what appeared at an attempt to get away from the annoyance that was Po. Behind Po was Shego trying to stop the young girl from getting mixed up in the chaos that was sure to begin. And lastly there was Jackson, not quite sure what was going on or what he was doing but figured that if Po went this way then so should he.

* * *

><p>Ron scanned the airship over looking for any obvious or hidden entry points. He had to admit that the hull was shaped like a pair of missile tits. A small smile spread across his face.<p>

" What's amusing Stoppable Sensei? " Ryu asked. Ron just shook his head back and put his focus back on the ship. " Stoppable Sensei, may I ask something rather...how I say...private? " Ron didn't look away from the binoculars that were now in his hands, he just nodded back.

" This Shego person, is she trustworthy? " Ryu's voice seemed to falter a bit with the question. As if he was afraid Ron might lash out or get angry.

" I don't know. " Ron answered back flatly. Ryu stared back expecting more but nothing came.

" Well if you don't know then it would be' arranged' a no? " Ryu said back. Ron put down the binoculars to try and make sense of Ryu's sentence. After a second he nodded slightly.

" I'm confident, " Ron paused as he put the binoculars back to his face, " that if Shego is betryaing myself or the team, she doesn't know it. " Ron had now set his focus back to work. However Ryu was relentless.

" Stoppable Sensei, should we not assume the worst? " Ryu asked with a bit of an edge to his voice. Ron again put down the binoculars and let out a large sigh. He started to clean the lens absent mindedly.

" Is there something I should know? " Ron inquired while still cleaning. Ryu looked a bit taken back by Ron's tone and question.

" No Stoppable Sensei I just... I didn't mean to 'overstay my boundaries. " Ryu bowed and turned back towards the ship. It was Ron's turn to be relentless.

" I understand your concerns my friend, I do. " Ron's cleaning hand picked up the pace and switched to the other set of lenses. " And a smart man would do just what you're implying. Cut off all ties and get rid of any one that might compromise what we are doing. " Ron stopped to blow off the binoculars. He put them back to his face. " But I'm not a smart man. " Ryu stopped and looked at Ron, his expression was curious. " Rather, " Ron continued, " I listen to my heart first. And try as I might. " Ron shrugged. Another minute dragged by until Ron called it quits.

" I don't think we'll find any easy way of getting into that thing. " Ron said as he turned away.

" Look! " Ryu said excitedly as he threw out his hand to point. Ron crossed over and stood next to his colleague.

" I'll be damned! Look at the big brain on Ryu. " Ron let out excitedly. The young ninja had noticed a small opening from which a tiny ball shaped craft had just left. " Reckon we can break in there? " Ron asked as he eyed the opening.

" Would you like me to try Stoppable Sensei? " Ryu felt Ron's hand on his shoulder before he finished his sentence.

" I think we should head out, something seems off with the other group. "

* * *

><p>Shego cursed as Kim and Po took her through various twists and turns of the city. If it was a straight foot race Shego wouldn't have a problem. But this was chaos, and with it came countless times Shego was forced to go back and help Jackson or dodge a falling lamp post or anything else that could happen to slow her down. ' Was it Murphy's law? ' Shego asked herself. As Shego picked back up her pace for little Po she couldn't help but notice that the city was in ruins. Thick smoke from various fires prevented sight from extending more than twenty feet in any direction, while alarms and various gunshots went off everywhere. As far as Shego was concerned this had to be the most dangerous place on earth at the moment. Which is the last place her recon group was supposed to be. Shego saw Po up ahead who was stopped on a pile of cars. With a couple more sprints she caught up.<p>

" What the hell PO! " Shego shouted. But the young girl stared into the sky. Shego followed her line of sight and noticed the massive airship directly in front of them. It was a bizzare sight to say the least. While on t.v. it didn't seem that stunning up close it was daunting. A continuous flow of air was being shot out the bottom clearing the city smoke as it did so. Shego looked down again and saw Kim standing underneath.

" Po we have to go. " Shego said as she grabbed Po's arm.

" What's Kim doing? She's just standing there. " Po said as she resisted Shego's tugging.

" I don't know and to be honest I don't care. Now Lets GO! " Shego's voice was on the edge of panic. The feeling that something terrible was going to happen rained down on her mind.

" Hey guys! " Jackson said as he stumbled to climb the car pile. Shego let go of Po to point at Jackson.

" This isn't a goddamn meeting now get the fuck out of here! " Shego yelled at Jackson. She turned to grab Po again but the young girl had dropped down and was now only several feet behind Kim. " Shit! " Shego exclaimed as she jumped down herself. A slight shudder went over her body as the airship's shadow enveloped her. Underneath the ship was a creepy feeling for her. Of course the sun being blocked out and all, but what made it worse was how quiet it was right here. The ship seemed to operate on a whisper. Which from years of working with Drakken, didn't seem natural to Shego.

" Kim! Kiiiiiim! " Po said in hushed shouting. Apparently the airship was getting to her as well. Kim didn't respond, she just continued staring at the ship.

" Sorry. " Jackson said as he bumped into Shego's back. The black haired woman spun around to yell at the underling when suddenly a series of clicks went off above their heads. Shego watched in mute astonishment as several large plates cascaded to the side and a series of gun barrels protruded from the once smooth surface. Everything played out in one beat of the heart.

" Kiiiiim! " Po's voice again.

" Po get the fuck outta here !" Shego said as she snagged Jackson by the shirt and started to make a run for it.

" Po! " Jackson cried as Shego dragged him away.

And then the beat was over and all hell broke loose.

Six linked fully loaded fifty caliber barrels chimed with fury as they unleashed a near uncountable onslaught of bullets onto the street. The asphalt chipped, cracked, and erupted with no chance of yielding to the sheer force of the barrage. The trail ripped across the street scattering the floating vessel's would be attackers. Shego took little effort in bolting out of the way grabbing young Jackson firmly by the arm as she did so. The two slid into an alley way as whizzing bullets followed shortly there after. The corner which consisted of concrete and stucco shredded apart sending chunks flying everywhere. The thunderous sound of the guns at work blasted into the alley deafening the two seeking refuge. Shego squinted through the flying rubble to chance a glare at the ensuing carnage. To her it seemed as if the street and buildings were breaking down all around as easily as if they were made of Styrofoam. She quickly had to whip her head back in as the corner of the alley gave way and allowed the passage of the bullets further into the alley. Again with Jackson in tow Shego ran off, this time further down the alley. The two turned another corner and ran farther away from the madness.

" Get in that dumpster and stay there! " Shego shouted over the noise.

" But Po! " Jackson started to object. Shego's response was a punch to the side of his head. The young men fell abruptly into unconsciousness. After tossing his limp form into the garbage bin Shego made her way back cautiously to the site of the attack.

* * *

><p>Po ran forward towards Kim in an attempt to get the red head to acknowledge her. She wasn't quite sure but Po didn't imagine Kim would be like this in person. However Po never made it, the guns started going off and all hell broke loose. To make things worse, Po was clearly the intended target of the aft gun. Mustering all of her strength into her stride Po took off for cover. But no sooner had she found safety did she notice that Kim was still standing still.<p>

" Kim Posssible! " Po cried from behind a small pile of rubble. Again nothing. The trail carved in the street from the bullets started veering away from Po and towards Kim. With reckless resignation Po exited her cover to aid Kim, running towards the teen hero. ' I'm not gonna make it! ' Po thought to herself. But her fears were unwarranted. Seconds before the attack reached it's intended target the red head jumped high in the air and grabbed a hold of a satellite hanging off the ship. For Kim this was a good outcome. However for Po it left some results to be desired. For now the young girl was stumbling into a swarm of gun fire. And there was nothing she could do. A mixture of intense fear and shock came over Po as the bullets rained down on her. However the stream just passed by her and traveled upwards for Kim. With a huge sigh of relief Po let out a breath and dropped to her knees. Rather she thought she dropped to her knees. She thought that she was breathing out sighs of relief. The reality of the situation was Po's body was tattered and shredded, bleeding out onto the battle field. Her head had received a glancing blow which was enough to make her delirious. The young girl's body continued to give out without her knowledge of it, Po was still in her dream world.

" Kim! " Po tried to cry out again. She felt confusion as her body didn't make a sound. Po attempted to look around but suddenly realized that she couldn't look around. Nor could she speak. ' Why am I laying down? ' Po thought to herself. It would be Po's last thought, as the young girl's limp form shuddered one last time and then set still.

* * *

><p>Shego came back around the alley ignoring all the warnings her common sense was blaring at her. As the battle came back into view she saw Po behind cover and Kim standing defiant in front of the ship. ' That's a good girl. ' Shego said to herself with relief. Sadly the relief didn't last long for no sooner did Shego think this that Po left her cover in an attempt at Kim. There wasn't enough time, all Shego could was watch. Watch as Kim jumped out of the way, watched as Po took her spot, and watch as a volley of bullets raced past Po. The young girl's limbs moved in random, sporadic, jerking motions in response to the attack. Shego gaped in horror as a red mist exploded into the air around Po's body.<p>

" P..." Shego's words faltered. She fell to her knees as she watched Po's body go into instinct mode as it gasped for air. Taking steady sharp intakes that even with the gun fire Shego could swear she could current events didn't feel real. The black haired woman had become so consumed by her separation from reality that she failed to notice the port gun taking an interest in her again. She didn't notice the barrels clicking and whizzing back to life as the chamber started to spin once again. And she didn't notice the blazing blue light streaking past her and into the air. In fact the rest of the battle blew past her like a cold winter breeze. Biting at the back of her mind urging her to take notice but she couldn't.

* * *

><p>Ron finished with the guns and took in the scene. He witnessed Po's lifeless form, her body in tatters. There was nothing he could do for her. Then he turned to Shego and saw the pathetic heap that she had become. Ron was upset about Po for sure, but his thoughts were locked onto Shego and her well being. A small wave of shame came across him as he realized this. The black haired women seemed comatose for it took Ron little effort to pick her up and dash away from the scene. Shego's body instantly felt warmer in Ron's arms. Even his sprint made a therapeutic rocking motion. Her bright green eyes however were still locked on the still form of Po Archer. Those piercing orbs went unblinking as they zeroed in over Ron's shoulder and took a life long snapshot of the misery.<p>

* * *

><p>Shego watched as the water swirled down the drain. The small whirlpool with a height of no more than a mere half inch had gripped her vision for nearly an hour. Although the little whirlpool was not what Shego saw.<p>

" Po. " She whispered to herself. Her own voice seemed to snap her out of the trance, and with a quick jerking motion the water shut off. Still absent minded, Shego toweled off and walked down the hall. The silent emptiness of the compound passed by her. After the announcement everyone had left. Of course Ron had to reveal himself to do this. ' Poor poor little Jackson. ' Shego thought and then squeezed her eyes shut. Again a trance began but this one was soon interrupted by the quiet murmur of voices. Without thought Shego followed the sound, seeking some comfort, any comfort. Her hair left behind little droplets on the floor, she had forgot to dry it. The tiny pitter patter of Rufus' paws followed behind her. The little mole rat had been at her side for a while now but remained out of reach, unsure if she would snap at any minute. As she descended into the common room her vision began to sync with her thoughts. The room was only lit by a fireplace and the large monitor, which itself seemed dimmed. Wade's face graced the screen, his expression somber. Ron was sitting, an unusual act as of late, talking quietly to Wade. Shego walked in, her face still had a dazed expression though her mind was clicking again.

" Shego, I'm glad you're here. " Ron said quietly. His voice and expression seemed uneven. Although Ron didn't feel comfortable with the idea, Wade had convinced him that the subject of Shego's allegiance needs to be brought up now. It took every ounce of his new found restraint to prevent from squirming in his chair as he started.

" Listen we have a couple of things to go over. Would you sit? " Ron said as he extended an open hand to the chair. In response Shego stood in front of the chair but didn't sit down. In any other circumstance Ron would have been distracted by the towel clad Shego. But not now. " Shego some things have come up and we're, " Ron gestured towards Wade to make sure he included the young man, " wondering if..." Ron trailed off. It was no secret that he was an amateur with spy games.

" I'm sorry about Po. " Wade cut in,his voice thick with empathy. " I'm sure it was the last thing you wanted to happen. " Wade's sentence was open to interpretation. Ron let out a sigh, partly due to the sorrowful nature of the prior events, and partly because he was beginning to feel dirty for playing this game.

" Who's side are you on? " Ron shot out quickly. Although he felt regret for the words, he steadied himself so he wouldn't show it. Shego's reaction was delayed and not what either man had expected.

" I don't know. " She said back quietly. Her voice and stature were equally feeble. Ron pressed forward.

" Have you been drugging me? " Again Ron felt regret and again he hid it. She let out a weak guffaw.

" Drugging you? I can't even look at you without you catching me. " Shego blinked slowly as she looked away from her interrogator and towards the fire. Ron couldn't help but notice the golden and rich reds highlighting her face. This was becoming too much for him.

" Wade, I'll talk to you tomorrow. " Ron said while still looking at Shego.

" But... " Ron's finger stopped Wade's sentence.

" Ryu's still around if I need help. " Ron supplied. Though Wade's concern was not for Ron. With obvious agitation Wade turned off the screen.

" Was this all your plan? " Ron asked coldly. Shego just shrugged back.

" Why would I want that young girl to die? " Shego said still under the spell of the fire. Her breathing almost invisible to the naked eye. Ron felt his agitation building, he had been running this scenario through his mind for a while now, and it never played out like this.

" God dammit Shego! " He raised his voice. Finally the young woman snapped out of her trance and with slight agitation on her face glared at Ron. And then the expression grew, as the previous comments started to sink in.

" You think I'm what, a spy? Or that I got that poor girl killed on purpose? " Tears started to form in her eyes, a compilation of the day's pressure and stress starting to seep out. Ron suddenly felt more comfortable, although he felt guilty about that too.

" You mind explaining some things? " Ron said back in a flat level tone. Although he didn't expect her to play along, rather he wanted her to get mad and slip up.

" What's the point Ron? It sounds like you made up your mind already. " Shego shot back, silent tears rolled down her cheeks. The very sight hurt Ron's chest, his heart ready to break at any minute. He used that feeling to push forward.

" Why are you here? " Ron's question came out cold and echoed off the empty walls. Shego looked down at her hands, which were now gripping the hem of the towel. The room grew quiet as Ron waited for her response. The fire crackled and fought for life as Shego fought to find an answer. But her head was too cluttered, cluttered with misery and anger, sorrow and regret, and hate.

" I'm here for you. " Shego finally said back quietly. Ron shot up and walked towards her, his expression pained.

" So he did send you, and all this , " Ron made the familiar hand motion that consisted of waving at him and her, " was staged. A lie? " Ron's voice trembled at the end of the sentence. Shego turned her head sharply away.

" You fucking Asshole! " Shego screeched as she stepped up. " I'm here because I want to be by you, I want to be around you, I want ..." Shego trailed off. " I want to be 'with' you. " Her words again trailing off. Ron stopped cold in his tracks. A sudden panic gripped him and even he couldn't prevent Shego from feeling it. The fire that burned in her green eyes cooled a bit. " Ron Stoppable you idiot, I'm doing all this for you. " She said softly. Ron looked at her, the sincerity shined in every ounce of her. Confusion overcame the young man, as various phrases and terms he had heard the past several weeks rang through his head.

" You're being drugged . " Wade's voice chimed.

" Do you trust Shego? " Ryu's voice chimed.

" She's lying to you Ron. " Kim's voice joined in. The voices kept piling up until all Ron could hear was an overflow of chatter. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to clear his head. But something else intervened and suddenly Ron was focused. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Shego's small hand on the side of his face. Her expression was weary yet concerned.

" She..." Ron's speech was cut off when Shego put her finger to his lips. ' It's soft. ' was all that Ron could think.

" Ron, it's okay to doubt me, and my motives. And you can push me away, or kick me out, or even kill me. But don't tell me you don't feel the same way about me as I do you. Just don't ever tell me that. " Shego had a look of concern on her face, as if she had just made herself too vulnerable for comfort. Ron's gaze was captured by hers, and with the splendor of the fire's light on her face he stood no chance.

" You have no idea. " Ron said as he leaned forward. Shego didn't return the gesture however, she simply closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly. Ron didn't hesitate and took her mouth on his. A deep kiss ensued as the two entwined limbs. Shego stroked the back of his head and ran her fingers through his hair as they continued the embrace. Ron was many things, but right now he was more animal than man, so it didn't take long for his hand to slide down Shego's back and firmly strip her of the towel. But Shego herself was in no mood to blush and she too acted in kind, jumping onto Ron and wrapping her legs around his waist. The passion was intense and not something you would see on t.v. or read about in a book. No it was more akin to something you might witness on a nature documentary. Ron's hands had a firm grasp on Shego's bottom, as he pulled her against him. The two took a breather so Shego could deprive him of his shirt. And then Ron threw her down onto one of the open ended couches. It was then that they shared that moment of clarity. Ron looked over Shego's body, the lighting still playing it's tricks. His line of sight started at her face and trailed downwards, to the nape of her neck and her soft breasts. Ron followed the line that traveled to the naval and then to the familiar 'v' shape where her thighs met. Shego herself was lost in lust and yanked at the young man's pants. Ron snapped out of it to help her but before he could his clothing became a shredded memory. He dropped to a knee on the couch, Shego's leg wrapped around his back in response. Ron ran his hand along her smooth thigh as she pulled him closer. His hand continued across her side and he extended his thumb as he passed her breast, gently squeezing as he did so. As the rest of him came down his hand made it to the side of Shego's face. With a soft yet forceful motion he pushed her face up and away to expose her neck. Shego's eyes widened as she felt his lips latch onto her neck. He kissed and nuzzled making his way to right below her ear. Her body now taking over she began to grind against him. Their respective parts that separated them began to make various forms of contact, sliding and poking. As Ron continued to kiss and nibble he cupped her butt and pushed her against him, the only thing between them now was Ron, the tip pressed firmly against Shego's belly button with the shaft sliding along Shego's most sensitive of areas.

All of the day's pain and struggle along with the weeks of confusion and even the years of wanting, were exerted into that night by the fireplace.

* * *

><p>Author's note* My most sincere apologies about the delay. I have many good reasons but no excuses. Again this is dedicated to the author's of fanfiction. Secondly to the fans. I hope you have enjoyed this so far and with this chapter done it leaves one left. I'll do my best to have the conclusion out within a week. Again a sincere apology and thanks to all of you out there. All comments and critiques are welcome.<p> 


	9. Part IX The End

The previous night's magic was gone, as if it dissipated with the smoke from the fireplace. Shego sat in a large chair in the commons area, staring at the empty fireplace. Wade was gone, at least as far as everyone was concerned he was. The young man was not in his office, or room. And the various other methods of contact left undesirable results. And of course there was poor little Po. In Shego's mind she summed this morning up as a terrible hangover. The cat like figure that was Ron Stoppable entered the room, now wearing black pants but still lacking a shirt.

" He's fine. " Ron said as if to read Shego's mind. She looked up at him with skeptism, wondering how he would know that. As if he was still reading her mind Ron continued , " Wade has contingency plans in place wherever he goes. But something must have spooked him fast because I remember the last time Kim and I got a pre recorded message. " Shego huffed in response.

" If he just got his ass out of his office and stopped relying on that damn screen we'd know where he is. " Shego's anger started to surface. Ron shook his head back in response.

" The truth is Wade is rarely here. That was one of 'my' contingency plans in case something happened. " Ron said

" Well then where does he go? " Shego asked. Ron shrugged back.

" I didn't want anyone, including myself, to know. And that's why I feel so confident that he's safe. If I can't track him right now, no one can. " Ron walked out of the commons area and into the kitchen. Shego fumed silently as the thought of something happening to her friend came over her. And just like that Po came back to mind. Still fresh in her memory the sudden agony started to overcome Shego. But this time Ron was there, just like that.

" Hey. " Ron said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Shego put her hand over his and leaned her cheek against it. " It wasn't your fault. " Ron added. But Shego didn't need to hear that, or even want to hear that. She was still coming to terms with the ordeal. Ron continued to stand by her, that is until he heard Ryu coming down the stairs. Ron started forward in a brisk walk to meet the young man at the base of the stairs.

" Good morning. " Ron said. In turn Ryu bowed. Shego excused herself still feeling upset, the previous nights magic had indeed worn off.

* * *

><p>Ron checked on Yori, who hadn't changed, and proceeded to inform Ryu of the morning's events, most of them anyway. Ryu had several questions much like Shego's but after seeing Ron didn't know much stopped.<p>

" Stoppable Sensei, I had yet one more question. " Ryu said. Ron nodded back getting bored with the Japanese ettiquete. " Did that other computer man leave? Charlie? " Ron's eyes widened slightly. He had forgotten all about that kid, leaving him to Wade's tutelage and Shego's eye.

" Well I assumed he did but honestly I haven't been keeping track of him. Why have you? " The question part of Ron's dialouge had a tone of hope. The truth was that he wasn't comfortable with Wade's disappearance in the slightest, he merely put on an act. To have some new information or at least a little light on this situation would make him feel better.

" I couldn't track him. " Ryu answered back coldly. Ron made a curious expression and in return Ryu explained. " He never went anywhere for me to track. But a couple days ago, he diss-aspeared." Ron ignored the sloppy English, which seemed like a sudden habit, and focused on Charlie. It was true that Ron knew very little about the young man. It was Wade who did the background checks. ' That's ironic.'

* * *

><p>Shego sat in a rocking position in her room and zoned out on the wall. Like all strong, complex feelings, they took on manifestations. And as the young woman continued to stew over the loss of Po, a particular thought stood out above all the others. ' If Kim wasn't there Po wouldn't have been there. And if Kim was there like she should have been, in the head anyway, she would have pulled dear Po out of the way. ' Shego thought this to herself for what must have been the tenth time in the last minute. Eventually she stopped just thinking it and started to devote herself to it. The pain was a little less sharp, although it was still there. Shego was aware of what she was thinking and a small part of her regretted this 'copping' out maneuver. But she was tired of being upset, and to her this seemed like a job for the good ol' fashioned, unstable Shego. She didn't take the concept of killing Kim Possible lightly, but she did see it as an inevitability. The young women's delusions grew so strong she started to rehearse lines without thinking about it.<p>

" That young girl you killed back there, she really looked up to you..." Shego muttered absently.

" This shouldn't affect us Ron, I let you try your way and look what happened? " Her voice started to pick up as she ranted.

" We both know what has to be done. She's a stray dog and needs to be put down. " Shego finished in a coercive tone.

" That's a good argument. " Ron's voice interrupted from behind her. Shego jumped out of her illusions and turned around.

" How long have you been there? " Shego asked with a combination of anger and fright.

" Long enough to hear your intentions, although feeling them is what prompted my arrival. " Ron said back calmly.

" Did you say 'prompted my arrival'? " Shego asked with a vexed tone. Ron broke eye contact, losing himself in thought for a moment. Eventually he gave up and let his guard down. He collapsed on Shego's bed and adjusted his vision to the ceiling.

" To be honest, I don't know what I'm doing or saying half the time. It really sucks. " Ron omitted. Shego's face became contorted, a mixture of a smirk and a scowl. Ron sat up and looked back at her.

" Don't try and stop me..." Shego said half threatening half pleading. Ron put his hands up, palms out.

" You're going to do what you feel you need to do. And I won't have the time tomorrow to interject. So let's leave it at that. " Ron said. Shego began to argue until his words sunk in. Never did she imagine this response from Ron.

" Just like that? You don't care? " Shego asked.

" Well of course I care! " Ron shot back suddenly, " It's just this is really out of my hands." The young man sounded regretful at the last part. " But I'm not an idiot Sheglet. " Shego's eyes widened at the pet name? " What? You don't like it? "

" You were saying? " Shego encouraged.

" Well yeah and of course after everything that happened, this was going to happen. I mean Kim is out of control and she does need to be dealt with. " Ron did a lot of shrugging and neck scratching as he talked. " I just hope you deal with her in a humane way..."

" Wait what do you mean tomorrow? " Shego suddenly piped up trying to avoid any more talk of the subject.

" With Wade gone we have to act, there's no other choice." Ron said back. Shego looked at him but focused on the impact of Wade's absence. After thinking it over she couldn't help but agree with Ron's train of thought.

" So this is a trap right? " Shego stated more than asked.

" Seems like it. Hey you want to watch a movie? " Ron seemed nonchalant about the upcoming conflict, which in turn distracted Shego from her own personal dilemmas.

* * *

><p>Shego finished her breakfast , an apple, and proceeded downstairs into the garage. Ron was already there suiting up. Shego couldn't help but admire Ron in his battle gear.<p>

" Like what you see? " Ron chided.

" Well yeah, I mean I know I'm a girl and all but that suit looks really awesome. " Shego said as she continued to admire the pattern of the fabric as it wove in and out of hard shell plates. Ron faltered a little bit, feeling a little stupid. Shego gave him a pat on the back with her hand.

" You're alright yourself stud. " Shego scoffed as she went to her locker. Ron shrugged off his awkwardness and took a minute to admire his suit. Mostly black with dark green and dark blue thin striped patterns. Upon admiring the handiwork that went into his garb, Ron couldn't help but feel ashamed. He had been given a lot, friends, support, love. And yet he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't thankful enough, appreciative enough. Ron was snapped out of his self disdain when he noticed Shego's bare form out of the corner of his eye. Master or not the temptation to look was overbearing.

Shego let out a sigh, " Really Ron? "

" Well...it was... dark.." Ron muttered back. Shego rolled her eyes and finished dressing. She took several more minutes to gear up for a motorcycle ride then addressed Ron.

" I'll see you there then? " She asked. Ron nodded back as stood there. His stance was an awkward one, not sure if he should lean in and kiss her or go for the hug. Shego laughed when she noticed this and jumped onto her bike. With a quick turn of the key it came to life and she was off. Leaving Ron and his idle hands in it's wake.

The steady hum of Shego's bike rang through the still air as the sun rose in the distance. The light flowed upon the trees creating a cascade of shadow along the road. As Shego rode, she couldn't help but shake the strong feeling of anxiety that she had. ' This was it,' was the thought that encased her mind. Everything that she had endured or struggled to cope with, they'd all be solved by tonight. And in that thought, she found comfort.

* * *

><p>Ron stood on the roof top of the compound, overlooking the property. He watched as Shego took off with her bike and disappeared into the distance.<p>

" Sorry Shego." Ron said softly to himself. He turned around to see his old friend standing diligently to send him off.

" Hey Rufus. " Ron said quietly. The mole rat gave a nod back. The two shared a few moments of silence before Ron patted him on the head and proceeded into the front seat of the helicopter. He looked over the knobs and dials and a smirk played across his face as he did so. ' Shego knows how to fly one of these.' Ron thought to himself. ' In fact she knows how to do a lot of extraordinary things.' Ron's thoughts continued to stray away from the task that was coming. He had prepared himself as much as he could, played out every scenario. And now he had decided that the point of preparation was past. All Ron could do now was watch things play out and do his part. And so sitting by himself in the seat of an aircraft that he didn't know how to fly, Ron began to think of anything he could to distract his attention from the upcoming conflict. Hours began to pass.

" Stoppable Sir?" Ron snapped out of his thoughts to see Ryu pop up on his communicator, giving the call that he was ready to go. Ron checked the sun and realized that it was about time.

" Hey Ryu! What's up with the sir? " Ron asked. Ryu shrugged his shoulders and replied.

" I'm trying American 'eddy quit'. " He said back simply. Ron smiled back though his eyes went out of focus, lost in thought.

" Well I guess it's time. I'm almost at the target now, just wait for my signal. " Ron ordered. Ryu nodded in response and the screen went black. Shego's face was the next to grace Ron's screen. Light pink indentations from her helmet spread across her cheeks and forehead.

" Alright honey pot, you ready to try this? " Shego asked sarcastically. Ron smirked back.

" Stand back..."

Shego stood on a hill on the outskirts of the city. She rested on her bike as she took in the view. The aircraft didn't bring any comfortable thoughts. To make things worse, was the way it continued to lie dormant over the city. Shego's discomfort quickly turned to anger as she squeezed the grips of her motorcycle tightly.' Kimmie..' her thoughts started. However this moment was short lived as Ron's blue rings started to appear. This time they were much larger in size. Like an excerpt from a movie, a blinding light engulfed the witness and scenery. The brilliant blue began to die down in severity to reveal a black helicopter, Ron sitting inside with a goofy grin.

" It's like a god damn magic show. " Shego uttered to herself while putting her arm up to protect her eyes from the light. It took another ten seconds before things settled down.

" Not bad for my first flight! " Ron said as he opened the canopy. Shego looked back with a smile. Here they were, possibly about to die or at the very least live with choices that would affect the rest of their lives. And he could still make her smile.

" So I have a question. " Shego said. Ron nodded back so she continued, " Why don't we just fly it there? "

" That is an excellent question. " Ron climbed down from the cockpit and jumped down to land next to Shego. " But you already know the answer to that don't you. " Shego shook her head lightly.

" You'd think we'd get shot down. So yeah my real question is why the fuck are we hauling this hunk of metal around when you have your teleport magic. " Shego unzipped her jacket to cool off.

" It's mostly for emergency. You know in case something happens. " Ron said the last part quickly. Shego didn't miss it, and took a step into him. She brought them face to face and searched his eyes.

" Don't be stupid Ron, what could ever happen to you? " Shego said with false confidence and concern. Ron looked back at her and smiled weakly. He put his arms around her and they embraced. The situation was starting to become too real. Shego stepped back and started to remove her pants. A puzzled expression overcame Ron as he watched.

" Erhh...what are you doing? " Ron asked. Shego looked up at him with an expression like what she was doing was obvious.

" I'm taking my pants off. You know, for sex. " She scoffed and then folded her pants over her bike. Ron shook his head and laughed.

" First off, I'm a romantic. You need to wine and dine me if you want any of this. " Ron said while pointing at himself. " And secondly, never before a big game. It keeps you hungry. " Shego, who was now bare below the waist, looked back at Ron like he was crazy.

" I'm not buying your 'everything will work out fine speech'." Shego walked up to Ron as she spoke. " The reality is that one or both of us could die. " She wrapped her arms around Ron's neck as she talked, looking up at him with her green eyes. " And since I'm too nervous to eat and be truly satisfied, this will have to do."

" You're saying a big meal is better than sex? " Ron stared off trying to compare the two, Shego however began to gently kiss his neck. " Okay really? I mean we don't have time for this! " Ron said trying to fight off Shego's advances.

" It doesn't take you long. " Shego whispered before she began to nibble on his ear. Ron could feel her breath along his neck.

" You know that's not really a compliment. " Ron countered as he subconsciously started to rub his hands along Shego's back.

" This is gonna happen one way or another. " Shego leaned in to start kissing him, taking a break to say, " Don't fight it." Ron jerked back quickly and glared at her. Shego looked back with a mixture of confusion and frustration. With a sharp yank Ron undid his belt.

" Fine but I want to do it in the helicopter. " Ron said as he stepped out of his pants. Shego laughed. " While it's in the air!"

* * *

><p>Ryu did as he was instructed, climbed the building they had earlier to gain access to the entry point. However he felt reluctant to finish his task until he made some visual contact with Ron. It was, in Ryu's opinion, that flying into the enemy head on was reckless. He looked up at the sun and noted the time, around two. Ryu turned his attention to the aircraft, the opening he was supposed to enter in particular. It was discreet, accessible, and perfect for quick entry. This perception gave Ryu a tugging feeling that it was too convenient, too perfect for entry.<p>

" And here I thought I planned this out perfectly. Let's just hope I get lucky. " Ryu muttered to himself. The sudden sight of a helicopter spiraling out of control directly above him caught his eye. The intrusion of the helicopter reeked madness on Ryu's senses. Even though he couldn't hear it, there was no way the aircraft went without noticing it on radar. And yet here it was, practically sitting on top of it's target. Taking the helicopter for his 'visual sign' , Ryu jumped out on the ledge to board the aircraft.

" HOlY ShiT Ron! " Shego shrieked as she yanked furiously at the stick trying to correct the helicopter's irratic stall. Ron's response was a loud laugh.

" Come on hon! This is the fun part! " Ron said through his delight. Shego took a moment to give him a dirty look then focused on the helicopter once again. The aircraft was coming up fast and the initial concerns was to keep the helicopter in flying condition. However Shego was now struggling to get them out in one peice. The rotors continued to groan as they were pushed to their limit by counter acting force. Another hundred feet flew by and still no progress.

" Teleport us out of here Ron! " Shego screamed at him. Ron held up his finger in response as he looked out the window.

" Hold that thought." Ron said back calmly. Shego didn't share his composure. Ron continued to look out the window another few seconds then turned back to his pilot. " You need to say please. " Ron said teasingly. Shego threw a fist at his face but everything suddenly became engulfed by the familiar blue light. The helicopter which had moments before been scrambling through the air was now seated safely atop the massive aircraft. Shego's fist finished it's motion and connected with Ron in the eye. Reflexively he pulled back and covered his eye with his hand. Shego looked around frantically to take in their new surroundings.

" Are you okay? " She inquired of her injured copilot. He nodded back with yet another grin. " You're an asshole. " Shego said before she leaned in and kissed him. Ron looked back dazed as Shego pulled away. The two looked at each other, Ron's smile faded and Shego's prior look of concern and excitement changed to one of sobriety.

" Are you ready for this? " Ron asked.

" Tell me where she is. " Shego's command came out neutral. Ron took a moment of hesitation then spoke.

" If you head that way you'll find her. Although you'll have to navigate the airship. " Ron answered. The two looked into each other's eyes, a moment of searching, and then Shego turned and opened up the canopy. It took her another few seconds to exit the chopper and head for the nearest exhaust port for entry. Ron watched until he couldn't see her anymore. He suddenly felt anchored to his seat. It was much harder to let Shego go than he thought it would be. It took Ron ten minutes to get out of his seat, however instead of heading towards the nearest point of entry, he ran towards Ryu's entrance.

* * *

><p>Shego crouched into the shadows as she surveyed the hallway. It had taken her some time just to get access into the aircraft. On top of that the thought had finally occurred of how vague Ron's direction's were. ' head that way. ' Shego thought mockingly. The task of finding a needle in a haystack seemed out of the question at the moment so instead Shego sat crouched waiting for a helping hand to come by. It didn't take too long as a young man dressed in black from the neck down strode past her. Shego grabbed him from behind, wrapping her arm around his neck and kicking the back of his knees. The young man's weight came down on Shego's forearm cutting off his air and his ability to scream.<p>

" Won't you accompany me into my office? " Shego asked teasingly as she jerked the young man into the shadows. " I'm looking for Kim Possible. She wouldn't happen to be here would she? " The young man looked up, panic flowed through his eyes as they quickly shook back and forth.

* * *

><p>Ron posed in a crouched position as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The light from the sun poured down the shaft that he had just come down. The first thing Ron noticed was the absence of Ryu's presence. He was unable to feel it shortly after the young ninja entered the aircraft. Ron stood up and walked up the nearest wall. It amazed him how little people looked up. And yet Ron had to admit that he rarely looked for people on the ceiling. With a straight composed gait, he made his way into the dark walkway out of the room. The aircraft was dimly lit every which way, with small lights coming out of the ground being the only visible source of light. The walls were composed of a onyx colored material, which sent out reflections every which way. Ron continued to take in the architecture of the aircraft until he heard voices. Another couple of feet and he could make out what they were saying.<p>

" I've been called down to the holding cells, you coming? " Ron heard.

" No sir, I've got to get down to the bridge. " Another voice responded.

" Okay, see you later Rog. " The first voice said. Ron could hear as 'Rog' made his way towards him. Ron crouched and held still until his target passed underneath him, then began to tail the man as he made his way towards the bridge.

* * *

><p>Kim sat balled up in a large grey holding cell. It was a typical looking cell, four walls and a large metal door for entry. When first put in here she threw a fit screaming and kicking the door. Eventually she settled down and even began to doze off. However as she began to compose herself, Kim couldn't help but feel that she was shaking off a dream. A haze had encompassed her thoughts and gone unrealized until just now. While sitting in her balled up form Kim reflected on the past couple of days. They were mostly a blur, although some bits and pieces began to surface and link together. She remembered tracking down some of the Black Clad Ninja Gang to a hideout. She remembered their leader being some guy named Sensei. She could remember getting captured as well, as if they were waiting for her. Memories continued to flow back and forth as Kim struggled to make sense of them. A sense of deja vu came over her as she pictured the same thing happening several weeks prior. Kim squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered driving her finger into someone's flesh. Her eyes shot open and she picked herself up. Whatever was happening it needed to be stopped.<p>

" Okay Kim, you have to get out of here. " She said to herself while she inspected the walls. It was no good, everything was welded tight with the exception of the door. Kim put some gradual weight against the door testing it, seeing if she could slide it at all. 'I have to find a way out.' Just as Kim thought this the cell door opened up.

" Shego? " Kim asked adding to her confusion.

" Come on Kim, we're getting out of here. " Shego said quietly.

" But wha..." Kim was too dazed to form her question.

" From the look on your face I imagine it would be best if you kept your mouth shut and followed me. " Shego added. Kim looked skeptically at the black haired women but made her way for the door. From Shego's low stance Kim gathered that she wasn't welcome here. As Kim followed Shego down the hallway she noticed several unconscious bodies strewn about, like rag dolls sitting on the floor of a day care.

" What's going on? Where are we? " Kim asked. Shego stopped abruptly and turned around. She eyed Kim from head to toe and let out a sigh.

" Come on, it's this way...I think. "

* * *

><p>Ron and his new best friend Rog exited the hallway into a large chamber. As everything else on the ship, it was dimly lit. As they continued towards the bridge Ron sensed out for Ryu again. The result was not comforting. Rog stopped in the center of the room before a small control panel. He pressed several buttons and the ground beneath him opened up save for a small pad that he stood on. Ron watched as his guide dog sank out of sight. After several minutes had passed Ron jumped down to take his turn. As silent as he was Ron still made a sound. The silence of the airship was not only creepy, it was impressive. The thought that something so large could sustain flight as quiet as a mouse fart boggled Ron. He reached out for the panel but stopped in his tracks. It was hard for Ron to describe, but a building pressure that he hadn't felt before was now trembling through his feet. With a quick leap Ron was headed for the ceiling again. He didn't make it, as a series of panels encased him from all directions. Before having time to think the pressure released and sent Ron crashing to the floor of the suddenly formed capsule. Ron kept tense as he felt the capsule shoot upward at a gut wrenching speed. He closed his eyes and calmed himself, getting ready for the next surprise.<p>

" You played well Stoppable Senpei. " Ron looked up as an image flickered across the top panels. " But I'm afraid you've lost. "

* * *

><p>Shego opened up the air locked panel and stuck her head out. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. She stepped out and looked around her. The sunset was do in an hour or so. Shego looked at the horizon, admiring the beauty of the world as it prepared to sleep. ' This is a good spot.' She thought to herself. Kim walked up behind her, trying to adjust her vision.<p>

" Oh Kimmie Kimmie Kimmie. " Shego chided as she started to walk behind Kim Possible. Kim quickly turned around, her body tensing. " This whole thing between us isn't healthy. " Shego said as she looked out into the sky.

" What are you playing at Shego? " Kim's question came out in a harsh voice. The young woman had been confused and irritable since shaking off her haze.

" Us Kim, I'm talking about us. " Shego stopped walking and looked at Kim. " How many times have we fought now? " Shego pretended to count on her fingers. " You know just forget it, I don't want to take my boots off. " Shego let out a chuckle at her own quip. Kim continued to stare back, her eyes began to ice over.

" Why did you bring me up here? " Kim asked. Shego's eyes narrowed back.

" I brought you up here to finish this, once and for all." Shego answered. Kim shook her head lightly. Shego laughed back in response. " What is it? Where's all that bloodlust I saw the other day? " Shego punctuated 'bloodlust'.

" I'm not sure what 'that' was or how I even got here. But it's clear that we have a common enemy here. Why aren't we fighting them? " Kim's thoughts began to form clearly and comfortably again. Shego looked back at her, thoughts racing through her mind as she did so.

" I'm not going to let circumstance or fate...or...or rational thought take this away. One of us came up here to die. " While she talked Shego began to walk towards Kim. The red head put up a defensive stance. " I'm sure that there is some perfectly rational explanation that you have been on the war path lately. And yeah I know that you're not the type of person to endanger innocent lives, or let them die. " Shego choked slightly on the last words of her sentance. She was now within inches of Kim's face. " No Kimmie you're a good girl and good girls don't do that sort of thing. " She reached into her pocket which made Kim flinch. " Easy girl, easy. " Shego said as if she were talking to a scared animal. Shego withdrew her hand from her pocket and reached behind Kim's head. Kim stood still as she felt Shego put her hair up in a pony tail. Shego split the hair in two even halves and gently pulled apart to snug up the band. " That's better, now I can see that pretty face. " Shego didn't manage to make her voice as mocking as she wanted. For at that moment her invincible opponent looked anything but. Instead Kim looked like a scared little girl, dirty and tired. The fight that was always in her eyes was now gone, replaced with confusion and uncertainty. Shego put her hair up and continued to take in her opponent. The sunlight came in almost directly from the west, pushing the girls shadows out across the deck of the aircraft.

" Why...why are we doing this? " Kim asked. Shego looked back, her eyes cold.

" I could tell you it's all about the girl that you got killed, " Shego paused while Kim flinched at the sudden fragments of memory, " Or I could tell you it's about Ron Stoppable, the man we both love. " Again Kim flinched, Shego licked her thumb and rubbed some dirt off Kim's face. Kim swiped her hand away in response." But the truth is that you and I are always colliding dear Kimmie. For some reason or another you just can't let things be. "

" I didn't mean...I mean this is a mis..." Kim was cut off by Shego's fist as it made contact with her face.

" I'm tired of this Kim, now get up. " Shego said through clenched teeth. Kim looked back bewildered. Her hand was absently rubbing her face.

" I'm not doing this Shego. " Kim spat back defiantly. " There's no reason! " Shego shook her head in response.

" Then tell me Kim, " Shego stood up and looked down at Kim the best she could, " tell me why did you get Tim killed? Or how about dear Po? " Kim was visibly shaken. " Or how about Ron? " Kim stood up, anger now on her face.

" What's between Ron and I is none of your business Shego. " Kim said sternly. Shego smirked back, although she wasn't feeling it she wanted to get things moving.

" You seem like you have been out of it for a while, so I'll fill you in. Everybody hates you cause ...oh that's right you're getting people killed. And Ron and I have been fucking. " Shego said the last part in a serious tone. Kim's expression of anger evolved into rage and she lunged out at Shego with a shriek.

* * *

><p>" So it's you? You're my counterpart? " Ron asked as he looked at Ryu's face in the image. The young ninja smirked back half heartedly and shrugged.<p>

" Yes it is I. " Ryu said back poetically. Ron rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and stood up. The intense pressure was gone and was replaced with a feeling of weightlessness. Ron gazed at the screen and noticed a look of regret on the face of his friend.

" You don't seem happy. " Ron stated. Ryu again shrugged back, his mannerisms now completely different than they were before.

" I'm not really. I mean you're a great guy Ron. " Ryu said sincerely. Ron looked around at the panels that created his cell.

" So what no explosions? " Ron asked. Ryu smirked back.

" We've both played our hands, I guess there's no more keeping secrets. Any questions? " Ryu asked. Ron looked at Ryu for a second, trying to decipher his game.

" Well I already had one. No explosions? " Ron asked again.

" To be honest, I don't know what would kill you. I could set you up in a master trap and shoot you with lasers and shit but what if none of it works? Then it's just you and me. And to quote my favorite movie, " when it comes to brute strength I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool. "

" Good one. " Ron said with a smile. He noticed now that he was entirely weightless, however he kept himself stuck to the floor.

" Thanks. So I figured the best way to kill you would be to send you into space. And then blow you up. " Ryu finished. " Next question? " Ron put his thumb to his chin as he categorized his questions in importance.

" Can you give me a quick run down of your plan? " Ron knew it was a shot in the dark but..

" Sure! " Ryu answered back cheerfully. Ron looked back surprised.

" Let's see where to begin..." Ryu looked up as he considered his options. " Right I got it, graduation! " Ron looked back slightly surprised. " Yes that was when I had my 'awakening'. Although it wasn't as intense as yours was. Bottom of the ocean and all, that's cool. " Ryu paused to drink some water from a cup that was offscreen. " You see Ron although I knew what was up way back then, this conflict of ours wouldn't start officially until you were clued in. So I used the time for groundwork. In case you haven't already deduced, I am endowed with incredible power of mind. To give you a rough summary of what that entails, I can give people strong suggestions and to some point control them. Of course that always ends with them in a coma. " Ryu said looking away from the screen.

" Yori..." Ron said with a mixture of sadness and anger.

" I'll get to that. " Ryu said with regret. He did a quick shake of his head and picked up where he left off. " So I laid out my ground work which consisted of two parts. The first was to separate you and Kim Possible. " Ron's eyes widened in surprise. " Let's face it the two of you together are too much to handle. " Ryu started to twiddle his thumbs as he continued. " The second part was to break you mentally. Now to be honest I thought they would go hand in hand, but Shego had the opposite effect on you than I thought she would. Which brings this conversation to my turn. What was the bond you created with Shego? How did you know you could trust her? "

" Well I think you're giving me too much credit, " Ron said as he rubbed the back of his head. " The bond was an accident and in the end she was the only one I could trust." Ron answered plainly. Ryu chuckled a bit in response.

" Well that figures. Anyway I pushed a series of suggestions onto Shego so that she would cross paths with you when you were heading towards your awakening for the first time. I did this to prolong my advantage. " Ryu said.

" So you ruined my road trip. " Ron said back mock accusingly. It was hard for him to take Ryu as a serious villain.

" Although it didn't work out as I planned it," Ryu continued, " It left some interesting opportunities."

" So wait that whole thing at the grocery story was a ruse? " Ron asked.

" That officer was simple enough for me to guide wherever I wanted to." Ryu answered plainly.

" Go on..." Ron said.

" I suddenly found I couldn't manipulate Shego anymore, so I moved onto Kim. To be honest, you helped me out in this endeavor more than I could have asked. " Ryu's tone was a bit remorseful.

" Yeah I guess I did..." Ron stopped looking at the screen to stare down into his hands. Ryu mercifully continued.

" The next notable move I made was when you left to take your test. I used your absence as an opportunity to pull Kim away from you completely. I also used that time to lay groundwork for ruining the school's credibility. Your trials put an incredible strain on Sensei and in turn gave me plenty of room to augment bank records and such so that I could use them against you later. " Ron started to put together all the pieces as Ryu clued him in.

" Wait what about the drugs in my system? " Ron asked.

" Oh that. " Ryu smirked as he marveled at his own intellect. " There was no drug. I tricked Wade into thinking that a common substance normally found in your blood stream was a drug. I also had false information sent to him about the 'fake drug.' Pretty good right? " Ron had to concede so he nodded his head. " So I guess I'm running out of time, you should be blowing up soon so I'll give you a quick run down. Ready?" Ryu asked as he tilted his head. Ron chuckled back in response. " Okay then, I used Tim by replacing his grandfather, that boy was mentally retarded before I got a hold of him. Unfortunately I had to kill him to thoroughly break Kim. Once I did that however I could use her as a medium to relay my instructions to you. Furthermore she helped create dissension between you and Shego. Who could be just as dangerous pairing with you as Kim. Then I got Wade to form a group on that compound so that I could get close to you without suspicion. Lastly I killed that Po girl to break Shego and then purposely got caught infiltrating Wade's system on a hard line connection to chase him away. And now here you are, helpless without any friends to aide you. In fact your lady friends are beating the shit out of each other as we speak. "

* * *

><p>Shego wiped the blood off her face and let out a laugh. " Come on you little brat! " She cried as she charged. Kim jumped back and let Shego land on the empty spot where she had just been. While Shego was catching her balance Kim lunged forward with a kick which connected with Shego's neck. To avoid from falling on her head, Shego extended her arm and did a sort of one handed cartwheel using the attack as momentum for her maneuver. The two girls took a pause to size each other up, both dirtied and bloodied. The fight wasn't the same as the last one. Shego noticed the difference immediately now that Kim was in complete control of her body. From what she could make of it, she had the advantage in speed. But Kim still had a monstrous strength. A strength that Shego's body began to feel as it ached. To make matters worse, Kim's composure kept her one step ahead of Shego. Every attack Shego made was quickly countered or haltered. Shego feinted left and then dove to the right, Kim fell for it but was able to recover enough to put her arms up to form an 'X' across her chest. Shego's fist connected with the center of Kim's guard and sent the red head skidding back on the deck.<p>

" Sorry Kimmie, It's over. " As Shego said this, Kim's right foot erupted in cyan flames. Kim's shock gave Shego the opening she needed. With all the strength she could muster, Shego slammed her fist into Kim's face sending the young red head flying across the airship. Before Kim could hit the ground Shego appeared above her to deliver a punishing blow to her chest. Kim bounced off the surface of the airship and into the air. Shego grabbed her leg as she sailed past and brought her back down with intense fury. Kim's head slammed against the solid metal deck and she blacked out. Shego looked down at the fallen form of her nemesis. ' This is it, it's now or never. ' Shego thought to herself. She focused all her energy to her right hand which erupted into a white flame.

* * *

><p>Ron and Ryu locked eyes, doing their best to read each other.<p>

" You don't seem too happy. " Ron said again. Ryu smirked back.

" I'm not really. I didn't want to kill anybody, and I didn't want to tear apart poor Yuri the way I did. My existence is a miserable one Ron, I've essentially damned us all. " Ryu said weakly. Ron stared back at his enemy with empathy. " Hey Ron, let me ask you something? Did you ever question me? You know as me being the bad guy and all? "

" Well no not directly. To put it properly, I kept everyone in question. With the exceptions of Wade, Kim, and Shego. You did everything that you could right. Except now that I think about it, your english skills seemed to have faltered near the end. Did you reach your limit? " Ron responded. Ryu smiled back but there was something in his smile.

" Why do I get the feeling that you slipped something past me Ron? " Ryu asked.

" Let me assure you friend, it was as much luck as it was skill. " Ron's voice came from behind Ryu. Startled the young ninja jumped and spun around. A faint blue hue was still apparent in the air. With blinding speed Ron was directly in front of Ryu, their eyes locked together. Ryu looked down to see Ron's hand in his stomach. Ron took a step back and Ryu slumped down to the floor. Blood began to dribble out of the corner of his mouth.

" You can teleport? " Ryu asked astonished. Ron looked down upon his friend with sadness in his eyes.

" I'm sure you have a few tricks up your sleeve. " Ron responded. Ryu smiled back before coughing up more blood.

" I can blow shit up with my mind. " Ryu said triumphantly. Ron shook his head back with a weak smile. " So tell me Ron, what was your master plan that gave you this victory? "

" I told you, it was mostly dumb luck. I knew you would outsmart me so I sat back and let you do it. I simply relied on a trump card or two. " Ron took a knee in front of his old friend and gave him a sympathetic expression. " I didn't want to kill you. "

" I'm glad you did, I'm glad you won. Now I can try out that whole 'one with the earth' thing. " Ryu reached out and took Ron's hand in his. " Thank you. " were Ryu's last words.

* * *

><p>Ron appeared on the deck of the airship and took in the situation. Kim's tattered body lay less than ten feet away from him, Shego stood above her fist engorged in flame. Ron stayed silent, watching. After several seconds nothing happened.<p>

" Why aren't you stopping me goddamnit! " Shego screamed as she turned towards Ron, her body still locked in it's original postion.

" I don't need to. " Ron answered back. Shego turned back towards Kim and threw her fist down. However the blow never made contact as Kim interrupted by kicking Shego in the chest. With a grunt Shego flew back twenty feet and landed on a foot and a knee. Shego stood erect and relit her body. However the flames came out bright green this time. Shego looked at her body and felt the energy as it was sucked out of it. Her flames extinguished and she fell to a knee. Ron walked over to Kim and bent down next to her.

" Are you alright? " Ron asked with concern. Kim looked up at him and made a weak smile.

Kim and Ron looked on at Shego, tattered and dirty from the fight. The young woman looked feral to say the least. Shego stared back, although her eyes lacked focus which in turn made it seem like she was looking through them. Kim rested her head against Ron's chest and glared back.

" You see Ron, she's never going to change. " Kim stated flatly. Ron seemed unfazed by Kim's comment, his focus still on Shego. Who in turn looked down, and clenched her fists. She shut her eyes tightly and tried to calm down. But it was hard, and took longer than she thought. By the time Shego had settled down and opened up her eyes Ron and Kim were gone. If she had the energy, she probably would have felt a little remorse for going over board, and a little pain at Ron's departure. But his presence from her was gone; combine that with the intense fighting and emotions and Shego was spent.

* * *

><p>Kim looked around in a daze as she noticed their instant change in location. The absurdity of it all seemed of little importance however and soon she found herself nestling back in to Ron's embrace. The scenery continued to blur by as Ron teleported again and again. Eventually it slowed down as Ron would actually stop to catch his bearing. Finally they stopped and Kim slowly pulled her head out to look around. They were in her old room, in Middleton.<p>

" What are we doing here? " Kim asked Ron wearily. He smiled back and stepped back from her. Although the sensation of holding Kim was one he had missed, it didn't feel the same anymore.

" Kim you've had a lot happen to you these past few years." As Ron spoke Kim's body expression underwent a drastic change.

" Ron..." Kim's eyes faltered as she avoided eye contact.

" It's really more than you know. " Ron continued. Kim didn't seem to care about what Ron meant, she was already starting to tune out. However she was quickly snapped out of it when Ron lifted her chin up. This time there was no escape for her, looking at him was inevitable. And it was then that Kim's deepest fears were confirmed. For within Ron's eyes she didn't see the love that she used to, the admiration, or joy of witnessing her.

" Our relationship failed. " Ron's tongue felt like lead as he spoke. " But while it lasted, it was great." Kim's response was a shrug. Ron continued, " And as friends, we've never faltered." Kim turned around and took a few steps away. And it was at that point that the exhaustion started to overwhelm her, and Kim fell down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she did so. Ron sat on the bed next to her and continued.

" We've grown up Kim. And I'm sure we still have a lot of growing to do. And aside from all this nasty business that we've been through recently, it's always been great with us." Ron's tone was nostalgic. " I know you're in no mood to hear any of this." Kim finally acknowledged him.

" Then why Ron? What are you doing here and why are you still talking to me?" Kim's voice was embedded with as much anger as her tired body would allow. Ron let out a sigh and laid back in the bed next to her. Kim turned her face towards him. A few minutes went by as they looked at each other. Kim couldn't help but notice how much older Ron looked.

" Are you ever coming back?" Kim's voice was as blunt as her question. Ron turned his head away then looked back at her, a crooked smile crossed his face.

" You know me better than anyone else." Ron's expression lingered waiting for a response from Kim. He didn't get one, she continued to wait for an answer.

" Yeah Kim, I'm sure I'll be back. Sooner or later. " Although Ron's response sounded half hearted, Kim found no deception in his words.

" Are you going back to her? " Kim asked.

" Not the way you think, not right away anyway. But yes. " Ron's response was much like ripping off a bandaid.

" But why...? " Kim's expression had more confusion than anger. It was the first time she had started to acknowledge how much Ron had changed. Ron pulled himself out of the bed and stretched out.

" To put it simply KP, " Ron's voice came out contorted from the stretching, " Shego was the reason I won. "

* * *

><p>Shego watched as the last rays of the sun danced across the valley. The descending wisps of light would have to wait to play until tomorrow. Shego couldn't help but feel the weight of the day lifting from her shoulders. ' I wonder what Rufus is doing? ' She thought to herself.<p>

" I knew you wouldn't do it. " Ron said. Shego didn't turn around. Ron walked up next to her and offered his hand. Shego took it and pulled herself up.

" I take it we won? " She asked.

" Of course. But it didn't come without sacrifices. " Ron said gloomily. Shego turned his face towards hers with a hand.

" Hey! You did a great thing Ron Stoppable." Shego scolded. Ron looked at her and smiled.

" You know it's thanks to you. " Ron said as he stroked her hair with the back of his hand. Shego scoffed and took a step back.

" Now you're just putting the pussy on a pedestal. " Shego retorted. Ron shot back a hearty laugh and shook his head.

" I'm a great Apatow fan but I didn't mean like that. " Ron smiled and the two looked at each other for several moments in silence. " You know we can't go on like this right? " Ron said in a subdued tone.

" Is it cause I was going to kill Kim? " Shego asked back quietly. Ron chuckled and shook his head.

" You were 'not' going to kill her. " Ron shot back. " You had your fist lit like that for like...twenty minutes! " Shego put her hands up in defense.

" Are you kidding? I struck down didn't I? "

" NO No! I saw that and you were gonna do that cliche move of punching a hole in the ground right next to her head! " Ron said with child like delight. Shego's face burned crimson from being caught.

" You ...you don...you're stupid. " Shego's response was awkward. Which only made Ron laugh some more. " So what then? This whole things over and you think we can't see each other? " Shego asked with concern. Ron stepped into her and wrapped his arms around her.

" Well I've grown quite fond of you Shego dear. " Ron looked into her eyes as he spoke. " And I hope that we can have something that's genuine and lasting. "

" And the problem is..." Shego asked as she lost herself into his eyes.

" The problem is that I want a real foundation for this. " Ron made his familiar hand gesture indicating both of them. " I've got a lot of things to clean up and I'm sure you have some personal demons to deal with on your own. " Ron paused and in turn Shego let out a shrug and a sigh. " I've thought a lot about it and I want to devote myself to you, start a real life with you. So I need a little time to get everything else out of the way. " Ron finished. Shego looked back at him and frowned. She had to agree that he had a point.

" Alright Ron, but how do I know you'll come back? " Shego asked jokingly. Ron scoffed at her.

" Please! You still have Rufus! " Ron said with an absurd look. Shego tried to hide her smile as she punched him in the arm.

The End

* * *

><p>A very big thanks to all authors and readers of fanfiction. I apologize for the delays revolving around the last two chapters of this story. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint on account that I had to shorten it a great deal. I try to keep things in the 8,000 to 10,000 range and the original version ran well above that. All comments and complaints are welcome and thanks again for everything.<p> 


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